Fire and Ice
by Nobody Hekele
Summary: The Phoenix and the Dragon are two mythological creatures right? Well what happens when Ryou reads his father's old journal and finds out that they are real...when he and the Mews save them, their lives won't be the same... RyouOOC KeichiroOOC
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Ice**

I know I said that I wanted so many reviews asking for this fic before I posted it, but since I am going on vacation for a week and won't be able to write my other fiction; I am posting this fic as a gesture of apology to my loyal reviewers...(I was only one vote away anyhow...) Here is Kachie's long going, still unfinished birthday present!

**Disclaimer**: This goes for the entire fic...I don't own anything except for the idea, and my two original characters: Hekele and Kachie...

"Shirogane-san! Why do I have to work today? You gave Lettuce, Pudding, and Zakuro the day off!" Ichigo yelled. Ryou just rolled his eyes at her.

"Baka strawberry...you have Mint to help you, it's no big deal...plus, we don't have that many customers today," he reasoned, retreating to the kitchen to check on Keichiro. Ichigo growled.

"We don't have many customers because it's SUNDAY! And Mint doesn't do anything while she's here anyway and you know it!" she yelled, frustrated with the blond boy. Mint, who was having her third cup of afternoon tea, smiled coyly and closed her eyes.

"Ichigo-san, your tables are complaining again...why don't you quit yelling and wait on them? Oh, and I took my afternoon tea late...could you cover for me for a few more minutes?" she asked, though Ichigo knew that she didn't have much of a choice.

This was going to be a long day...and Ichigo's shift had barely begun.

Ryou sighed as he whirled around in his chair for what seemed like the thousandth time. Masaya had come to walk Ichigo home again, just as he had done for the past two weeks, and Ryou was mildly annoyed. He was more than aware of Masaya's feelings for her, and knew that he was in no position to try to steal her heart from him, but that didn't stop Ryou Shirogane's heart from breaking every time he saw the boy with the baka strawberry.

"But I can't have her...she's already made that apparent...so why can't I just get over it?" he asked himself.

"Trying to make yourself dizzy Shirogane-san? You look like you're trying to set some kind of record..." Keichiro said as he descended the stairs to their base of operations underneath the café. Ryou sighed.

"Something like that I suppose..." he said. Keichiro sat on the table next to him and eyed him carefully.

"Are you feeling all right Shirogane-san? It's been a while since I've seen you so pre-occupied..." he questioned.

Ryou nodded, "Yeah...I'm fine...I think I'm going to go through my dad's journal...something to do..." Keichiro rolled his eyes.

"Haven't you been through that thing a hundred times already?" he asked. Ryou shook his head as he rolled over to a book shelf and grabbed the dusty object.

"I've spent these past few years looking in his scientific notes and memoirs so that we could finish and perfect the Mew Project...I haven't been into his journal once..." he said, standing up and walking up the stairs that Keichiro had taken. He then made his way up another set of stairs to his living quarters. Keichiro sighed when he heard Ryou closed the basement door.

"He's been thinking of Ichigo-san again...he thinks that I don't know how much he cares about her...but I do...I only hope that he can accept the fact that she's taken...and then move on. But I _do _understand the dilemma of a first love...it'll take him time..." he mused to himself. After a moment he shook his head, muttering to himself.

"I need to get back onto the dating scene..."

Ryou flipped through the pages of his father's journals sadly. He could still remember the fire at the mansion that had consumed everything he had cared about, including his parents. Keichiro had driven him home from school, and they could see the pillar of smoke almost a mile away.

He was sixteen now, and Keichiro in his mid-twenties. It must have been odd having your personal assistant, and greatest confidant, so close in age to your own son. Keichiro had only been about eighteen while he worked for Ryou's father...

Ryou turned the page again; he was enjoying the memories that the little book was providing him. Summers at the beach, bed-time stories when he was really young...it was all in there. Ryou sighed. He wanted more than anything to get those memories back again.

He flipped a good section of the book and found a date that interested him. It was a week before the fire, and his father's writing seemed a bit jagged, and hurried.

"_...Everything that lives in legends has lived on Earth...though they may have disappeared for a time...they shall return. The phoenix and dragon are the ones that seem to captivate my interest the most, for some reason. Perhaps it is because there are supposed sightings of them...even in our disbelieving time. _

_Just a good seven years or so ago, there was a massive explosion in the north which nothing could have survived, and yet in the middle of all the destruction, there was an infant girl, crawling out of the ashes. This_ _happened at a school after hours, so only a janitor and a teacher were there...along with a teenage girl. All were killed. The baby was never claimed, and none in the building had had a young child, let alone an infant. When the infant's DNA was tested as a last resort to find her family, it was found that she held the **EXACT **same DNA as the teenage girl in the explosion._

_There is only one phoenix in existence...it has no mate. When it dies, there is said to be a massive explosion, from which it is reborn anew. After careful back-round checking, it was found that the teenage girl had been losing a battle with leukemia, and had gone to the school to gather homework due to the fact that the next day she would be going to a hospital in Kyoto for treatment. Her 'parents' say that she had been at death's door many a time in her struggle, and it would not have surprised them if she had in fact keeled over and died on her trip to the school. But she had wanted to prove that she could do it... It is for this reason that I suspect her to be the phoenix..._

_The dragon...is a beautiful creature. Aside from the phoenix, I am certain that it has no equal. In China, it is said that dragons are gods that have come to Earth...such as Chac...a reining dragon in northern China. It is also said that these dragons have the ability to turn into humans, for disguise purposes. I would not doubt this ability in such a magical creature, and perhaps this power also explains my theory of the girl/infant being the phoenix._

_Just this past year, there was said to be a girl in China...about Ryou's age, who was picked on at boarding school. Finally, it is said that the girl got fed up with everything and screamed. The air around her turned bitterly cold and everything within a ten foot radius of the girl was frozen solid. After the alleged incident, the girl was never seen again. Her parents had come to take her home the next day...but when I dug deeper into the story, I found that her parents had both been dead for a good year or so._

_I often wonder what became of those two girls, and I think that I'll go back and try to dig up some more information. I ought to be able to get into the government files by hacking...there should be information there..."_

Ryou sat there, astounded. He had never suspected his father of believing in such things. And yet, he could see the probability of such things being true with that information. After all, though the Mew Project was solely based on science, magic was evident in everything he saw them do. It was as if they just needed a little push...

Ryou read the next entry. It went on to explain how there were government files on the girls _confirming_ his theories. Apparently, the government had heard the tale of the girl in China and had sent some agents to claim her. And the infant had already been with them for seven yearsThere were files on them pages long, and they were continuously poked and prodded and even more data was added every day. Though Ryou's father was a scientist himself, he was enraged that they were doing this to mere _children_. It went on to read that Ryou's father wanted to rescue them, and perhaps if they wanted, include them in the Mew Project...when they were much older. It went on to explain in an almost affectionate manner how he had spoken to Ryou's mother about his findings and how she hadn't even thought before saying that she'd love to take the girls in when he rescued them.

The next entry had Ryou's head spinning. His father had gone on a recon mission to check out the base in which the girls were held. He had made it inside and after altering the cameras he had actually been able to see the girls. No one else was in the room, so he had come out of hiding and approached them. They were in these pod-like tubes with liquid in it... This was where they were kept...for about twenty hours for each day. He had introduced himself to the girls, who were awake and quite confused at the unusual face, and had let them in on his secret to free them. Ryou's father then spent a good two or three lines describing how happy they seemed, and how, despite the fact that they were wearing breathing masks, he could still see them smiling. Ryou's father also described how difficult it was to leave them there, and how he had somehow become attached to them in such a brief few moments.

Ryou flipped the page, wanting to get to the next entry, but found it, and the rest of the journal blank. He went back to the last entry to check the date.

It was the day before the fire...

"Keichiro! Wake UP! Keichiro! I know you can hear me! Open the damn door!" Ryou shouted as he banged on Keichiro's bedroom door. After a minute or so, a very groggy Keichiro opened the door.

"Shirogane-san...it is three o'clock in the morning...what are you doing awake and pounding on my door?" he asked. Ryou pushed past him and handed him the journal.

"Read the last three entries...don't look at me like that, just do it!" he snapped when Keichiro gave him an annoyed frown.

Keichiro decided to humor him and began reading. Ryou smirked in satisfaction as Keichiro's eyes slowly widened at the information that he was absorbing. When he got to the end, he was about to turn the page when Ryou stopped him.

"The next day was the fire...he never saved them..." he said. Keichiro looked at the journal dumbly, which Ryou found mildly amusing since Keichiro was the brightest person he knew.

"He never told me about any of this...he _did_ seem distracted those last few days...now I know why..." he said slowly, trying to make sense of it.

Ryou sighed, "He probably didn't want you to get in trouble if he got caught..." he paused before speaking further, "They're still there Keichiro...being treated like science experiments...animals in cages...no one deserves that..."

Keichiro sighed, "You don't have to butter me up with the sappy talk, we're gonna save them. We'll get the Mew Mews to help...they won't object to being woken up at this hour for something so important..."

Ryou would have hugged Keichiro if he hadn't had his reputation to protect, "No...but their parents aren't just going to let them out of the house at this hour to go to work..."

Keichiro gave Ryou one of his rare, rather frightening, evil grins, "Leave _that_ to me..."

"Oh my god! I can't believe there's been a break in! I hope Shirogane-san and Keichiro-san are all right! What if one of them's hurt? What if they got shot! Omigod! They're gonna die!" Ichigo panicked as she ran down the street towards the park. Lettuce had met up with her about a block back and was trying to clam her down.

"Ichigo, if they were going to die, then they wouldn't have been the ones to call. Keichiro-san sounded to be all right on the phone...perhaps they just want some help cleaning the place up or something...?" she tried. Ichigo was only mildly calmed

Pudding ran up after spotting the two, trying to catch up, "Wait for Pudding na no da! Pudding is worried too na no da!" Ichigo and Lettuce slowed their pace a bit so the young girl could catch up to them. She took a deep breath and then began talking again as they ran.

"Pudding almost wasn't able to get out of the shelter na no da...But since Pudding's bosses had a break in, they had to let Pudding go to help na no da!" she said.

They rounded a corner in the park and found themselves face to face with the café. They stopped running when they got to the entrance.

"Wait a minute...where's the broken door...or window...and the lights are all off...except the basement ones...RYOU SHIROGANE! THAT WAS A HORRIBLE TRICK AND I'M GONNA KICK YOUR BUTT FOR IT!" Ichigo yelled as she stomped into the café, followed by her two companions. This was a Mew Mew thing...she knew it now...and she was pissed.

"Ichigo-san...I'm sure they had a good reason for waking us up..." Lettuce tried. Ichigo glared straight ahead as she made her way down the stairs.

"Yes, I agree that they probably had a good reason for waking us up...but for scaring the living day lights out of us!" she yelled that last part, knowing the boys below would hear her.

"Shut up baka strawberry...we've got work to do..."

Ryou took a deep breath as they reached the base. The group, now joined by Mint and Zakuro, crouched in the bushes, awaiting instructions. Ichigo, sensing Ryou's apprehension, touched his shoulder in comfort.

"We won't get caught Shirogane-san...I'm sure of it...and if they try to stop us from freeing them, we'll kick their butts and get out anyway...ok?" she said. Ryou gave her a slight nod and turned to the rest of the group.

"We'll need to split up...though I really don't think it's the safest thing. We'll need a couple of people to get in and take out the guards..._silently_...and then let the rest of us in. From there, we can probably stick together until we find them...so, who's going in first?" he asked. The group looked around for a moment before anyone spoke.

"I guess I'll go, but I'll need at least one person to go with me," Zakuro said nonchalantly.

Ichigo sighed slightly, "I'll go too then...wish us luck!" After a second of scanning the area, they leapt from the bushes and disappeared into the shadows.

The group in the bushes waited for a moment before heading out themselves. They too stuck to the shadows as they made their way to the entrance of the base.

After waiting for five minutes, the doors opened silently, revealing at least ten guards, completely knocked out. Zakuro and Ichigo just shrugged at the questioning stares of their comrades and turned to the door.

"Coming?"

Once inside the base, they kept as quiet as they could, and went in at least one circle before they could figure out where they were in relation to the girls. After a few more minutes, they found themselves outside the door.

Zakuro took a key card she had taken from one of the guards and swiped it through the slot. The door opened, and thankfully, no one was in the room. The group piled in and Keichiro went to work on the camera. Ryou and the Mews looked around and found the pod-like tubes. No one could deny that the creatures inside them were beautiful.

One girl had black hair with silver streaks coming out everywhere. Her eyes opened to reveal brown orbs with silver speckles. They widened in surprise at the people in the room. She didn't recognize them, and she was frightened by the fact. She wore only a light blue cami and shorts set. Her arms were suspended above her, holding her in place.

The other girl had blond hair with red flames that went about mid-way to her shoulders. She wore an outfit exactly like the other girl, but her's was a red color. She opened her eyes as well, revealing sapphire blue eyes with red speckles mixed in. She too appeared apprehensive and frightened.

Ryou was the first to speak and, knowing their fear, tried his best to smile in a comforting manner, "Uhh...hello. I'm Ryou Shirogane...the guy by the camera is Keichiro, and these fine animal-like ladies are the Mew Mews...we're here to get you two out..." At the mention of his last name, Shirogane, the two girls' expressions seemed to calm some. They remembered that name...

"All done, we are now invisible to anyone looking at the security video..." Keichiro said as he too approached the two tanks. Ryou gave him a slight nod and proceeded to the master computer.

"Don't worry...we'll have you two out in a few minutes..." he paused, looking at all the buttons. He didn't have a clue as to where to start. He heard a noise coming from one of the tanks and saw that one of the girls, the blond one, was trying to attract his attention. She nodded to a section of the computer and he quickly went to it. There were two sets of controls, and they were identical.

"One for each of you?" Keichiro asked, understanding as he too made his way over to the computer. Both girls nodded at him in unison. Ryou pointed to a button, and looked at them. They shook their heads. Now having means of communication, he proceeded to do the same for the other buttons until they nodded instead. He and Keichiro pushed the identical buttons on either side of the computer, draining the fluid from the tanks. The girls now hung there limply. They nodded again and Ryou began motioning to buttons once more. After a moment, they nodded when he motioned to a small green button. He and Keichiro pressed them and the tanks rose into the air on a cable, but the girls still hung in place. Ryou looked up at them quizzically.

"Now...how do we get you down?" he asked. Ichigo and Lettuce walked over to the computer and ushered the boys towards the tanks.

"We'll push the buttons, you two get ready to catch them if they fall..." Lettuce said, taking charge for the first time. Ichigo gave her an approving nod as they stood before the master computer, ready to push away.

Ryou and Keichiro got into position beneath the girls and Ichigo began motioning to buttons. Within a few seconds, the girls nodded once more and they simultaneous pressed the buttons. The metal bindings that held them in place opened and the two dropped.

Keichiro grunted slightly as the raven and silver haired girl he assumed to be the dragon dropped into his arms. She wasn't heavy, but he wasn't quite ready and he had nearly fallen over. He gently sat her on the ground and removed the air mask, only to find it attached to a tube that went down her throat and into her lungs. He had her lay down and, as gently as he could, removed the tube from her throat.

"Oh dear...that can't be pleasant...are you all right?" Lettuce asked her from behind Keichiro. When he finished removing the tube, she only nodded shyly and sat up.

Ryou had caught the other girl without much more grace. He too stumbled back a bit when she landed in his arms. Noticing what Keichiro was doing, he laid her down gently and tilted her head up to make it easier to carefully remove the tube from her throat. When he was finished, he sat her up carefully and looked her over.

"You ok?" he asked. She nodded slowly, a bit in shock that she was this close to freedom. She tried to stand up but her legs wouldn't support her for long and she fell. Ryou caught her before she hit the ground and picked her up bridal-style.

"Her legs aren't used to being used...I don't think hers will be much better, we've gotta carry them out..." he said, motioning to the girl next to Keichiro. Mint and Zakuro walked up, along with Ichigo and Pudding, whom was being quiet for once. Everyone was grateful.

"Mint and I will go ahead and scout the area." Zakuro said. Mint nodded.

Pudding sighed, "Pudding guesses that she and Ichigo-san and Lettuce-san will stay with Shirogane-san and Keichiro-san na no da. That way we can protect them na no da..." Ryou nodded to the plan and looked at the girl in his arms.

"Now for the hard part..."

Surprisingly, they made it out without much trouble. Zakuro and Mint did a good job of knocking out the guards before they could call for back-up. And after a few heart-stopping occasions when they were almost caught roaming in the halls, they were homeward bound.

When they reached the café, Ryou and Keichiro lead the Mew Mews up the stairs to their living room, where they set down the two girls. Everyone took a seat and sighed in relief. They had done it...and hadn't been caught.

"That...Ryou...could have landed us in prison for life...at _least_..." Keichiro said slowly. He was too tired and annoyed to be his usual, respectful, self. Ryou noticed this and grinned.

"Why Keichiro...I seem to recall you telling me that I didn't need to butter you up with a sappy story in order to get your help in this...and you were the one who suggested asking the girls for help..._and_ you were the one who came up with that story about the break-in to get them out of the house without their parents suspecting anything..." he said smoothly. Ichigo jumped up and pointed at Keichiro.

"THAT WAS YOU! YOU'RE AS BAD AS HE IS!" she yelled, pointing between both him and Ryou. Oddly enough, this caused both of them to smirk.

Knowing that this was an argument waiting to happen, Pudding decided to start asking her own questions, "What are your names na no da?" The two girls looked at her oddly, and the dragon spoke.

"...My name is Kachie...and thank you for saving us..." she said quietly. Her voice was smooth and cold, but it held an innocence not many at her age possessed. It had a slight accent to it as well, and was quite beautiful.

Everyone looked expectantly at the other girl, whom only looked at the ground, as if in shame. "I...do not have a name...I have no memories of my last life...so I do not know my past name either..." she said sadly. The syllables rolled off her tongue in as silky a way as Kachie's, but held immense warmth instead of the cold. It too held a child's innocence, and though it possessed no accent, it held a calming power, and its own beauty.

Pudding frowned, "No name na no da? Then we will have to give you a name na no da!" The girl looked at Pudding oddly for a moment, but then Ichigo jumped in.

"Oh yeah! We haven't been properly introduced! I'm Ichigo, the blond munchkin is Pudding, the girl with the blackish blue hair is Mint, the girl with the green hair and glasses is Lettuce, and the diva with long purple hair is Zakuro!" she piped triumphantly. The girls all nodded to their two new friends, before the dilemma at hand re-appeared.

"So...what would you like to be named?" Lettuce asked the girl kindly. The girl thought for a moment, and gave a slight shrug.

"I don't know...what would be a good name?" she asked. Pudding jumped into action once more.

"How about we make it a game na no da?" she exclaimed happily. The girl gave her an apprehensive look, but Pudding was already in full swing.

"You can be the judge na no da! That way, you get the name that you like na no da!" she said, earning a slight smile from the girl.

"Ok..." she said slowly. Pudding grinned.

"What about Sylia na no da?"

Mint also decided to join in, "Or...perhaps Angelina?"

"What about Mika?" Lettuce suggested. The girl seemed to contemplate that one for a moment before another of the Mews spoke up.

"How does Michelle sound?" Ichigo asked.

"Hmmm, you look like a Jennifer to me..." Zakuro said thoughtfully. The girl also seemed to contemplate this name for a moment.

Keichiro joined in the fun as well, "How about Melody?"

Ryou frowned at the names. None of them really seemed to fit her, in his opinion. Knowing it was his turn to suggest something, he thought about it. Normally, he wouldn't take part in these games, but this particular game had a purpose, and it would be rather rude not to participate.

He wanted to come up with something original, like Kachie for instance. All the other names he had heard seemed a bit too...ordinary..especially given what extraordinary creatures they were attempting to name. Kachie's name was as unique as she was, and the other girl deserved something just as different. After another moment in thought, a name hit him.

"Hekele," he said simply. Everyone looked at him for a moment, trying to understand why he thought that name was better than theirs.

Ryou sighed, and elaborated, "Hekele means heather in the native Hawaiian language, and as you know, heather is a flower. Hekele, though it is Hawaiian, seems to have a Japanese ring to it. It's different, yes, but then again, so is the person we're trying to name..."

The girl sat there and listened to what he had to say, though she didn't need to; she had been attached to the name before he had given his explanation, "He-ke-le..." She tried out the name on her own tongue and smiled. She really liked that name, and, from taking one look at Kachie nodding her head to herself, the girl could tell that she liked it too.

"I...like that name..." the girl said, more to herself than to anyone else. Ichigo smiled.

"Well, I guess that settles it then! Your name's Hekele!" she said. Hekele smiled as well and nodded.

Keichiro looked at the clock and groaned, "Guys...it's seven o'clock...can we go to sleep now?" Ryou scowled at the clock in hatred before shaking his head.

"We have to open the café in five hours...that leaves four to sleep and one to get ready..." he said. Pudding yawned and curled up on the couch between Hekele and Kachie.

"Pudding doesn't care, Pudding is going to sleep na no da..." she said as she closed her eyes. Hekele and Kachie smiled at her for a moment before closing their eyes and leaning back on the couch themselves.

"Sleep...sounds rather welcoming right now..." Hekele said. Kachie nodded.

"Very welcoming..." The rest of the group watched them for a few moments before simultaneously dozing off themselves. It had been a long night.

Hekele opened her eyes slowly, only to shut them again to block out the brightness. She yawned and stretched out her arms, and then stopped. She shot up and looked around frantically, trying to figure out where she was. Then she saw Kachie sleeping on the other end of the couch and sighed. Now she remembered. She and Kachie were freed early that morning, and had been taken to the living quarters of one of their rescuers.

"Ryou Shirogane, perhaps he is related to Shirogane-sama...who said he'd free us years ago...I wonder why he never came back for us..." she mused sadly. Then she heard foot-steps and snapped her head towards the doorway out of instinct. One of the girls from earlier, Lettuce, came into view, and Hekele's tension eased.

Lettuce smiled at her gently before walking up to her and handing her a small pile of clothes, "Here...We weren't sure of your sizes...so we all chipped in some of our clothes from home until we can take you two shopping...I can't imagine you'd want to be walking around in that..." she said, motioning to Hekele's cami and cotton shorts. Hekele blushed slightly and shook her head.

Lettuce sighed and sat down, "So...are you ok? I know this has to be odd for you...you've never been outside the base, have you?" Hekele shook her head.

"No...I haven't...not since I was 'born.' And even though I know everything that someone my age is supposed to know, I feel...lost..." she said. Lettuce nodded.

"They taught you? Not that I thought you were stupid or anything, but I didn't expect them to give you an education..." she said, trying not to be offensive. Hekele smiled.

"It's all right, I get it. They taught us so that if and when they had us under their control, we would be able to blend in perfectly. I don't know what they wanted to use us for, per say, but whatever it was...it felt..."

"...sinister?" Lettuce finished for her. Hekele nodded.

"They never told us...but part of us just..._knew_ that it was bad..." she said. Lettuce gave her a half hug and stood back up.

"Well, you're with us now...and if the Mew Mews can't protect you two, then Shirogane-san and Keichiro-san will..." she said, "Now get dressed and come downstairs; we'll get you something to eat...and bring Kachie too..." she said, smiling one last time before disappearing out the doorway and into the hall that led to the stairs.

Hekele sighed and moved over to Kachie, "Wake up sleepy head...time to live..."

Ichigo looked up when she heard someone descending the stairs and smiled when she saw Hekele and Kachie. They looked around apprehensively; there were tons of people around, and they only knew a few of the faces.

Seeing their conflict, Ichigo hurried up taking her table's order and rushed over to them, "Hey you two! Good to see you up and about! Here, I'll take you guys into the kitchen with Keichiro-san. He'll make you something to eat!" She grabbed their arms and practically dragged them into the kitchen. They saw Pudding roll by on a huge ball while balancing plates on thin sticks and serving them to the customers, Lettuce was attempting not to break plates, Zakuro was trying her best to annoy the customers, and Mint was sitting at a table drinking tea, completely ignoring everyone.

Once they were actually in the kitchen, they saw Keichiro, working over a hot stove with at least six different orders. Ichigo blinked a few times and sighed.

"Poor guy...looks like you've gotten back-washed again..." she said, setting her order down next to him. He gave her a look.

"Mint isn't working, Zakuro is giving out the wrong orders, and the customers are being an even bigger pain than usual today..." he grumbled. Ichigo nearly fell over laughing.

"So this is what you're _really_ thinking when you smile and charm all the angry customers and cook all day...and here I thought you really meant all that corny stuff..." she joked. Keichiro allowed himself to laugh as well.

"Yeah...I'm normal when you get past the overly cheerful exterior...but don't tell anyone..." he joked back. He handed two trays from the microwave to Hekele and Kachie.

"Here, I kept these warm for you...eat up, it's good." he said, smiling.

Ichigo grinned, "Go ahead, try it. If he made it, it's worth eating...oh crap...my table is complaining again...stay here with him, I'll be back!" She took off rapidly to the table whose order she had just taken; they were complaining about not being served yet...stupid snobs...

Hekele took a bite of the concoction before her and smiled; it _was_ good, "Keichiro-san...what is this? It tastes really good!" Keichiro looked back from the stove and smiled.

"It's just eggs and bacon...you two never had breakfast so I made some up for you...I kept it warm, but it really tastes better fresh off the stove...haven't you had any before?" he asked. Kachie, who had also began to eat the food, shook her head, swallowed, and then spoke.

"Nope...they didn't technically feed us; they gave us our required nutrients through IVs throughout the day," she said, taking another bite and enjoying it throughly. Hekele nodded at the answer her friend gave and took another bite.

Keichiro looked at the two in complete and utter shock at what Kachie had said. _They've never actually eaten? I'm glad we rescued them when we did...the more I here about how they were treated the more I want to vomit..._

Hekele watched Keichiro's reaction and cringed; apparently he didn't like what they had said much, but she knew that he wasn't upset with either of them. Hekele took another bite of her food and watched her friend. Kachie seemed to be enjoying the food more than her, and she wondered why. After a few more moments in silence, Kachie gave her the answer to her unasked question.

"I missed using my mouth for more than breathing and bad-mouthing..." she said candidly.

Keichiro burst out laughing at this, not expecting her to say something like that. Hekele giggled a bit as well, understanding her friend's situation. Kachie had a life before the government took her, and though Hekele had one as well...it was very short lived...six months to be exact...hardly long enough to get attached to everyday things like Kachie had.

"I'm sure you did...glad you like the food..." Keichiro said, putting three banana-splits, two chocolate hot- fudge sundaes, and a strawberry short-cake on a tray. Hekele giggled again at the look of complete anguish on his face.

"Who on earth could eat so many sweets?" he asked. Kachie shrugged.

"Other than me...no idea..." she said.

Ichigo stomped into the room, growling, "Stupid vultures! Oh! You've got the order done, thanks Keichiro! Maybe they'll stop biting _me _now..." She grabbed the tray and carried it back out the door, leaving Keichiro stunned.

"But there are only two people at that table! They can't possibly-" Keichiro was cut off by the sound of yelling.

"We didn't order all this junk! We ordered a brownie sundae, a slice of cherry cheesecake, and two sodas!" came a snobby voice. Keichiro sighed. He knew Ichigo was being toyed with again...why was it always her? He pitied the girl...mostly because it meant more work for him...

Hekele and Kachie looked at one another and sighed. They had over heard the girls order while they came down the stairs; Ichigo didn't mess it up.

"Keichiro-san...Ichigo-san didn't get their order wrong...we over heard them making it...and that's what they ordered..." Hekele said. Kachie nodded knowingly. Keichiro sighed once more.

"Yeah, yeah...I know...customers always do that...but only to her it seems..." he said slowly. Kachie shook her head.

"That's not nice...how come?" she asked. Keichiro shrugged.

"I haven't the slightest clue..."

It was then that a _very_ disgruntled Ichigo re-entered the kitchen. "Keichiro-san..." she whined, putting the new order on the counter. He only nodded and got to work on it...it wouldn't take but a few minutes...

"Ichigo-san...we know you didn't mess the order up...they were just being really mean..." Kachie said. Ichigo smiled at her gratefully.

"Thanks...now, if you could tell that to my evil boss when he finds out that I allegedly 'screwed up' again, I would be most grateful..." she said, setting her head down on the table. Hekele's eyebrows furrowed.

"Who is Ichigo-san's boss?" she asked. Ichigo laughed.

"Shirogane-san, he and Keichiro-san are my bosses...but Keichiro-san is much nicer..." she said. Hekele was confused.

"But we thought that Shirogane-san was a good person..." she said. Kachie shook her head.

"She means that he can be mean...he is a good person, or else he wouldn't have helped to rescue us..." she said. Hekele nodded in understanding.

"His father was nice too...why didn't he ever come back for us?" she asked. Keichiro and Ichigo looked at one another thoughtfully, not knowing what to tell the two girls. Finally Keichiro spoke, just as he placed Ichigo's new orders on the tray and removed the old ones.

"...There was a fire at their home the next day...everything was destroyed..." he said, hoping that they would understand. They did.

"Oh..." was all that the two could manage. They had both entertained themselves with the idea off and on that he had been a figment of their imaginations, or another scientist who was supposed to get into their heads and study what they would have done in that situation, or even that he hadn't been able to get back in...they had never once thought that he had died...probably because they didn't want him to have done so...

Ichigo sighed and took the new order out of the kitchen, not knowing what else to do. Hekele and Kachie just sat there in mild shock and Keichiro felt bad. They had truly looked up to him...

He checked his counter and found no more orders, so he sat down between them and gave them both small hugs, before placing a hot-fudge sundae in front of each of them.

"Here...you ate your brunch, now eat your dessert...there's no reason to waste perfectly fine food..." he said, pulling the strawberry short-cake in front of himself and digging in. Hekele smiled softly and tasted the food, curious about its taste. Her eyes widened thoughtfully as she tasted the hot chocolate on her tongue.

"Keichiro-san! This is amazing! I like it even better than the eggs and bacon!" she exclaimed, all but diving into the food. Kachie couldn't help but double over laughing; even _she_ knew about ice-cream...and hot fudge sundaes.

"Hekele-chan...you make me laugh, I can't fathom anyone not knowing the wondrous taste of ice cream!" she said matter-o-factly. Keichiro was stifling chuckles of his own, not wanting to be rude, as he took another bite of the short-cake. He could get used to this company, no one was fighting with customers, no one was getting orders wrong, no one was arguing amongst them selves, no one was annoying Ryou, (which was bad for everyone's health,) and best of all, he wasn't behind a hot stove...

Pudding bounced, (literally,) into the room with three pieces of paper in her hand, "Here Keichiro-san; Pudding has lots of orders for you to fill na no da! The customers really like your food na no da!" And with that, she bounced back out of the room.

Keichiro sighed. _Another day in Paradise..._ "Oh well...here, finish off these banana-splits while your at it...I'm not going to get the chance..." He sighed once more, stood up, and got to work.

Ryou walked up the stairs to the kitchen in a bored manner. It hadn't been a very active day...for him anyway. He heard Ichigo complaining about the customers and Mint earlier, but that was just about an everyday thing. He opened the door to the kitchen and found Hekele and Kachie sitting at a table, downing some banana-splits while Keichiro toiled over the stove. He stopped for a moment while he took in the sight.

Kachie was wearing what he would assume to be one of Mint's outfits, as it was a dark blue pants suit, and it was made of silk; under it Kachie wore a white shirt, also silk. Ryou shook his head, Mint didn't own anything that wasn't fancy. Not that it didn't look well on Kachie, in fact it probably looked better on her than it would on Mint, but the fact that it was probably the least expensive item in her closet made him want to smirk.

Hekele looked to be wearing something from Zakuro's wardrobe. She wore a pair of crimson cargo pants and a white mini-tee with an equally crimson heart on it that went up to just above her belly. It was much more practical than Kachie's outfit, but it looked just as nice in its own way. Zakuro had always seemed more practical than Mint, and it showed in their contributions. She had probably worn this outfit a good two or three times while trying to blend in to a crowd and not look conspicuous, then people probably figured out that they were still designer articles and that the girl wearing them was her after all. Then the outfit probably got lost in some ginormas walk-in closet and never saw light of day again until that morning...

Ryou smiled to himself at how the two seemed to relish every bite of those desserts. "Well, you two are finally up...and raiding the kitchen I see..." he joked. Then a rather frazzled Keichiro turned around and placed three orders onto some trays and all but collapsed on the table after Pudding came bouncing in to get them.

"Um...are you ok Keichiro?" Ryou asked. Keichiro scowled.

"Why is it that you seem to never do work? Only down in that basement do you appear to even have a purpose...why is that?" he asked. Ryou took a step back.

"Uhh...because scanning for Chamera Anima is more important than running a cover-up café?" he tried, getting ready to retreat if need be. Keichiro sighed and motioned for him to sit down in the spare seat at the table. He cautiously obeyed.

Keichiro whipped the third banana-split in front of him and thrust him a spoon, "Eat it; if I'm going to make it than I'll be darned if anyone wastes it." Ryou looked at the spoon as if it were a foreign object before digging in. He hadn't expected a near mutiny to his ingenious plan to get out of work...

Hekele looked up at him and smiled as he took a bite of the dessert in front of him. "I never thought that actually _eating _would be such a big deal for me...but since I've never done it before, its kind of...fun almost..." she said thoughtfully. Ryou raised a brow and looked at Keichiro, whom didn't seem fazed and only beamed at the girl.

"I take it there's a story behind that remark," he said. Keichiro nodded, but Hekele elaborated.

"While we were at the base, we weren't technically fed; instead, like Kachie-chan told Keichiro-san earlier, we were given our daily required nutrients through an IV. I don't think I've ever seen a fork and spoon in my entire life until today...but they aren't too hard to figure out..." she said honestly. Ryou looked at her in shock; he hadn't expected that.

"So, you've never had actual food before?" he asked. Hekele shook her head.

"Nope, I was raised in the base, so I haven't; Kachie came when she was only about seven, so she has," she said. Ryou sat there, mulling it all over in disbelief, not understanding th reason for feeding them through an IV instead of their own mouths. Keichiro cleared his throat, gaining the trio's attention, and spoke.

"Well, I'd say that since we got you out of that base, are working on little or no sleep, and it's pay day, why don't we take you girls out to eat tonight after the café closes down, and then you'll eat stuff that puts my concoctions to shame..." he announced. Ryou's face lit up slightly at the idea; he was sick of everyday food, and this would be a good opportunity to get the girls some other clothes as well. But the café was closing late that evening...

Keichiro caught the thoughtful look on his face and smiled, "Leave everything to me..."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry to report that there has been a failure with the main stove, we are going to have to close early for this evening. I promise that we will be open with no further troubles tomorrow on time...thank you for your cooperation," Keichiro said in a solemn tone.

Ryou had to fight the laughter begging to spill from his lips; this was the second time in the same day that Keichiro had pulled a fast one to make things easier. It was so out of character for his friend that it was all the more hilarious.

Lettuce was the first of the girls to approach him after ushering the customers out, "Has there been a Chamera Anima sighting?" Ryou took a deep breath before speaking.

"Why don't you ask the master of ceremonies over there...he's the one with the bright ideas..." he said, trying not to show his amusement. He had a reputation for being an ass to keep up, and he'd be damned if he let go of his indifferent mask over something like this...but it _was_ tempting...

Lettuce understood the lack of urgency and sighed, "I see, well, if there isn't anything too important, then after we clean up we can head home right?"

Ryou smirked as the rest of the girls walked over, each having heard the conversation, "Oh, but there _is_ something important for you to do...if you don't have plans that is..."

Ichigo glared at him, she knew that he knew that none of them had plans, he let them out of work four hours early for Christ's sake! "Ok, since that was a dumb question, then what do you have in mind?" she asked. The rest of the girls nodded in mild confusion, all happy to be out of work either way.

"You'll be taking Kachie and Hekele shopping, they need more than a small pile of clothes to wear...and then we're all going out to eat...at a _nice_ restaurant. That means _nice_ clothes for all of you...get them back here in three hours and then go home to change...we'll pick each of you up in a limo later..." he said. Keichiro looked at him dumbly at the mention of a limo and Ryou smirked. If Keichiro was going to be so uncharacteristically helpful and generous, then he might as well reap the benefits.

Keichiro saw Ryou's mischievous smirk and understood. _Ok then Ryou...if you intend to take advantage of my good mood...then I'll have to take advantage of your playful one...let the games begin my young friend..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 2**

****

Ichigo couldn't believe what she was holding in her hand. She was being entrusted with Ryou Shirogane's credit card. There had to be at **_least _**a few thousand dollars on that thing, and she was deep in shock that he had let her hold onto it to purchase Hekele's and Kachie's new wardrobe with.

Mint rolled her eyes at Ichigo as she stared at the credit card, "Why are you so surprised that he gave you the credit card? Did you expect all of us to pay for their clothes when it was his idea?"

Ichigo shook her head, "No...I've just never held something worth so much money before...but then, you probably wouldn't get how cool this feels to a normal person like me..." she said, glaring at her kill-joy friend. Mint snatched the credit card out of her hand and held it for a moment, but then thrust it back at Ichigo.

"You're right, it has no effect on someone above the common society..." she said in a bored manner. Ichigo stuck her tongue out and looked away.

Hekele and Kachie watched the two curiously. They weren't acting like they assumed friends would act. They looked at everyone else and found them ignoring their two bickering comrades. They were carrying on their own conversations as if the two were behaving normally. Lettuce, seeing the two keep to themselves, decided to speak.

"So...what do you two think of it out here so far?" she asked. Hekele and Kachie turned to her a bit, and shrugged slightly.

"...I never knew what to expect...so everything is odd to me..." Hekele said. Kachie shook her head.

"She's worse than I imagined she'd be...at least I figured she'd _act_ like she knew what was going on most of the time..." she said, giving Hekele a teasing glance. Hekele blushed a bit and looked at the ground. Kachie sighed and elbowed her in the ribs, causing her to jump.

Kachie smirked, "You know I'm kidding Hekele-chan, lot's of this is new to me too...and now we know for future reference that you're ticklish...ha!"

Lettuce smiled at the two, "We've got two and a half hours to shop, so let's get going..."

Zakuro looked at her watch and sighed, "Let's divide up and meet back here when time is up, then we'll get them back to the café and go home to change..." she said. Pudding nodded and began bouncing up and down.

"Pudding thinks that Zakuro-san's plan is a good one na no da! How about Zakuro-san, Lettuce-san and Ichigo-san go with Hekele-san and Pudding and Mint-san go with Kachie-san na no da?" she suggested. The group nodded after a moment of mulling it over, and split up.

Kachie walked out of the dressing room wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and a set of hip-hugger jeans. Pudding gave her a thumbs up while Mint appeared to be thinking about it. Kachie frowned slightly; she liked the outfit.

"You would look better in Chanel..." Mint said. Pudding slapped her forehead and Mint took up a defensive face, "What's wrong with Chanel? It's highly fashionable!"

Pudding sighed, "We don't want to spend ALL of Shirogane-san's money Mint-san na no da...We need to leave some for Hekele-san and Shirogane-san himself na no da..." Mint thought for a moment, and lifted her hands in defeat.

"If you want her dressing like an everyday person and looking completely ordinary and common, then fine by me...I'll just have to find some decent things amongst this trash..." she mumbled. Pudding grinned and looked at Kachie, giving her a triumphant smile. Kachie, who now was beginning to understand Mint's state of mind, smiled back.

"I like this outfit...Can we get it?" she asked. Mint nodded and handed her another pile of miscellaneous clothing to chose from. Since they didn't know what clothing Kachie would like...they handed her a little bit of everything.

"Here," Mint said, "try these on and let us know what you like...then Pudding will go to grab the credit card so that we can pay for it all..." Kachie saluted the girl in a militant manner and went back into the dressing room.

After about half and hour, Mint was able to discover that Kachie seemed to like darker, if not completely black, clothing. She also seemed to like blue and red...but seemed to be sticking to the blue. Luckily for Mint, everything goes with black, so she didn't have to lecture Kachie on what did and did not go together. Pudding, on the other hand, thought that Kachie would look good in a lime shirt and pink pants...Mint was prouder beyond words when her newly found, 'fashion apprentice,' as she had dubbed Kachie for the day, had politely turned her suggestion down. She had, however, made a compromise by keeping the lime tee and picking out a pair of black capris with the same lime trimming, as well as some black flip-flops. It was, In Mint's mind, rather on the cute side...even if it wasn't Chanel...

Hekele made her way back into the dressing room with her third arm load of clothing. Zakuro, Ichigo, and Lettuce were working quite well together to find clothing that she'd like, and Hekele was grateful. She didn't know the first thing about shopping.

Hekele did know, however, that she liked the colors red, black, tan, blue, and green.. She also really liked the outfit that Zakuro had lent her, and was able to find other outfits similar it. She had three pairs of cargo pants, (one black, one camouflage, and one tan,) which all zipped off into shorts; two other mini-tees, (one red and one blue;) two tank tops, (one white and one brown with a gold glittered rose;) a pair of denim hip huggers; a red skirt that extended to her knees; and a white peasant top with red ribbon woven in the neckline , waist, and sleeves to go with the skirt. She also got three pairs of shoes, (one pair of sneakers, one pair of red pumps, and one pair of black flip flops,) and a set of pajamas, (a white spaghetti strap shirt with a flamingo on it and a pair of flamingo pajama pants.)

It had taken all of one hour to do her shopping and pay for the stuff, so the group of girls sat down on a bench outside the store munching on an ice cream cone each, (Ichigo's treat, not Ryou's...) In a slightly bored manner.

Ichigo turned to Zakuro, who had actually taken the clothes with Hekele to get them ringed up, "So...what's the damage?"

Zakuro took the receipt out of the bag, "The total cost was $246.80...we did a lot better than I thought we'd do...I figured we'd be in that damn store until the last minute and end up spending at least twice this amount..." Lettuce's eyes widened.

"Wow...that really isn't a lot of money for a complete wardrobe...I think Shirogane-san will be pleased!" she said. Ichigo nodded and turned to Hekele.

"So...what do you think Kachie will get?" she asked. Hekele tilted her head in thought.

"I'm not sure...I am about as aware in her taste of fashion as I was of mine when we walked into that store..." she consented.

Ichigo nodded, "True...but then again...she's also shopping with Mint and Pudding...and that's an odd combination...I wonder how much they'll spend?"

Lettuce thought for a moment, "Either as much as us or more...I can't imagine **anyone** spending less than that on a compete wardrobe..." Just then, the group saw Pudding heading their way. She politely held out her hand for the credit card and Ichigo handed it to her.

"So...what did you guys get her?" Ichigo asked. Pudding smiled.

"Pudding can't tell you na no da! It's a surprise na no da!" she said as she bounced away.

"How much did we spend Mint-san na no da?" Pudding asked as Mint rejoined Kachie and herself. Mint smiled.

"Only $457.64! That's not too bad for a complete wardrobe! We did pretty good..." she said as the trio spotted the others on the bench where Pudding had left them and began to approach them.

"So what outfits did you finally settle on na no da?" Pudding asked. Kachie answered.

"The first outfit I tried on, the lime shirt and black capris, the blue dragon shirt, the black and red tee-shirts, the skull pajama set, the three black cargo pants, the black and denim shorts, that nice light blue dress for tonight, the black, blue, and dark blue tank tops, the black flip flops, the black sneakers, and the white shoes to go with that dress..." she recited. Mint nodded in approval, though she never really liked the pajamas...

As soon as the others saw them heading their way, they stood up and stretched. They waited for the trio to reach them before the entire group set out for the mall exit and back towards the café. The group mostly walked in silence...at first...

"So...Mint, how much did you three spend?" Ichigo asked in a challenging tone. Mint, smirked, just as competitively.

"We only spent $457.64 on 21 items...how about you four?"

Zakuro grinned, getting into the competitive spirit, "We spent $246.80 on 15 items...but the three cargo pants zip off into some nice looking shorts...so it's more like 18 items...so...I think we won..."

Mint growled, causing everyone else to laugh, "It's not a contest..."

Ryou watched the girls bid Hekele and Kachie farewell from a café window and mentally wondered if he had any money left in his bank account...after all...Mint and Zakuro _were_ used to all those name-brand expensive clothing...

He saw the two begin to haul their multiple bags up the walkway and sighed. Keichiro noticed this and glanced out the window to see what he was looking at. Seeing the girls struggling towards the front door, he looked at Ryou, whom was already up and on his way to give them a hand. Keichiro caught up with him and smirked.

"Mighty chivalrous of you Shirogane-san, going to help them like this..." he teased. Ryou gave him an apathetic look as he opened the door and made his way to the two.

"Do shut-up...please..." he muttered as he came upon Hekele and Kachie. He gave Hekele a small smile and took three of her six bags. She smiled at him gratefully as she straightened her back a bit and continued walking towards the entrance.

"Thank you Shirogane-san...these are heavier than I thought they'd be..." she mumbled that last part to herself begrudgingly. Ryou smirked to himself, catching the remark, and continued walking with her.

Keichiro bowed politely to Kachie, making her roll her eyes slightly at his over-considerate antics, "May I assist you with your bags, Kachie-san?"

Kachie blushed a bit but nodded, "Thank you very much Keichiro-san, your help is most appreciated..."

Keichiro laughed at her, "There's only room for one overly-polite and considerate person in this little club of ours...leave the job to me, ne?"

Kachie blushed again and nodded, "If you insist. Keichiro-san."

Keichiro smiled again as the two walked towards the door, "As a matter of fact, I did. Now, shall we?" He held the door open for her and the two walked inside.

Ryou and Hekele were sitting at a table inside waiting patiently for the two. Ryou looked shocked beyond all reason, and Hekele had a look of pride on her face. Keichiro looked at them curiously for a moment.

"What's got you so spaced out Shirogane-san?" he asked. Kachie, who already had a good idea of what it was, wore a look of pride as well.

Ryou almost stuttered, _almost_, "The bill...is less than I expected...Apparently, they split the two up and went to two different stores...Hekele's bill was only $246.80...and Kachie's bill was $457.64...which was a little closer to what I imagined they'd spend...but still much less..."

Keichiro's eyes widened, "I must say, I am shocked...does that mean we're getting dessert tonight when we go out?"

Ryou glared at him and his apparent joke, "Very funny...come on, let's show them upstairs..."

Kachie looked at them curiously, "Why? It's not like we haven't been there..." Ryou smirked slightly.

"Well, where did you think you were going to stay? We can't have you two living on our couch forever, so we cleared out two of the other rooms up there and turned them into bedrooms for you..." he said casually. Hekele's and Kachie's eyes got wide with delight.

"Really! We get our own rooms Shirogane-san?" Hekele squealed, quite delighted.

Kachie looked a bit skeptical, "We really get our own rooms? Seriously?" Despite her disbelieving tone, Ryou and Keichiro could still hear the eagerness in her voice. And why wouldn't they be excited about having their own bedrooms? They've lived in tanks of liquid with breathing tubes for most of their lives...

Keichiro grinned at them, "Of course we're serious, why wouldn't we be? Come on, let's go up there so you two can pick out the one you like...their pretty much the same right now, but you can decorate it any way you like...and we'll pick out better furniture this weekend..."

The two girls didn't need to be told twice; they were running to the stairs almost before Keichiro could finish his last sentence. Ryou followed at a normal pace and Keichiro was smiling the whole way. He couldn't help but enjoy how thrilled the two were over something like this. It was obvious to Keichiro that they were gentle souls, despite everything that they had been through. They were grateful for whatever they got, and weren't bitter about anything...

Once the two got up the stairs and to the rooms, an amusing sight greeted them. Hekele and Kachie were walking back and forth through the two rooms, trying to decided which one they wanted to live in. After a few minutes, Hekele poked her head out of one of the rooms timidly.

"...Can I have this room Kachie-chan?" she asked. Kachie poked her head out of the other room, amusing Keichiro and Ryou further.

"Sure! I think I like this one better any way...but both are pretty huh?" she said. Hekele nodded.

"Definitely..." she turned her head, saw Keichiro and Ryou grinning at them, and blushed a bit, "Thank you for the room Shirogane-san and Keichiro-san...it's really nice of both of you..."

Kachie bounced out from the doorway and gave Keichiro a hug, nearly knocking him over, "Yes, thanks a lot! For letting us stay here too! I don't know where else we'd live..." She then bounced over to Ryou and, before he could get out of the way, hugged him as well. He stood there awkwardly, not being used to hugs. Kachie released him and then grabbed Hekele's wrist.

"Come on! Let's go get our clothes! That way we can unpack and stuff..." she said, pulling the other girl to the stairs. Hekele complied with her and allowed herself to be drug down the stairs with little more than a tiny blush and an even tinier eye roll.

Keichiro watched Ryou's reaction to the embrace with a twinkle in his eyes. The boy looked dumbfounded and a bit shocked. Keichiro himself had been pleasantly surprised by Kachie's forwardness, and hadn't minded the embrace one bit. Hekele had also seemed quite pleased with their new living arrangements, but she had expressed it in a more subtle way.

"So, are you petrified from fear, or are you simply surprised Shirogane-san?" he asked. Ryou snapped out of it and glared at him lightly before walking to his own room and shutting the door. Keichiro smiled once more as he headed to his own room.

"Both I guess..."

Ryou finished speaking to the limousine driver and headed back into the café. Keichiro was waiting at the door and the girls were walking down the stairs. Ryou couldn't help but smile at the two of them. Kachie was wearing a lovely light blue dress that frilled slightly at the bottom with a pair of white shoes to go with it. Her hair was brushed out a bit more and she looked positively splendid. Hekele, on the other hand, was wearing a white peasant blouse that had red ribbon woven into the hems of the neckline, sleeves, and around her waist. She also wore a matching red skirt that extended to her knees and a red pair of shoes to complete the effect.

Keichiro offered his arm to Kachie gallantly and smiled when she timidly took it, "You look quite nice Kachie-san; Mint-san and Pudding-san did a fine job helping you shop..." Keichiro looked at Hekele then, and smiled warmly at her as well. "And you look lovely as well Hekele-san, those colors suit you nicely," he complimented, making Hekele blush lightly once more.

Ryou, not to be out shown, offered Hekele his own arm, "You and Kachie look very nice, Hekele, it seems that the girls actually worked well together outside of fighting Chimera Animas for once..."

Hekele, quite pleased with the compliment, smiled a bit as her blush deepened, "Thank you very much Shirogane-san...You look...nice yourself..." She took his arm apprehensively and he gave her a small smile as he led her outside towards the limousine.

Ryou was adorned in a pair of khaki dress pants and a black, short sleeved, dress shirt. He also wore black dress shoes and a black cloth collar around his neck, replacing his usual red one. Keichiro was wearing his usual black dress pants and instead of his white work shirt and red bow tie, he wore a dark blue, long sleeved, dress shirt. His hair was tied back in its normal low pony tail.

As the four sat in the limousine, they idly picked up conversation, and Kachie and Hekele began to loosen up a bit. It was apparent that even Kachie was a bit nervous about going out to eat, since it had been so long since she had done so. Hekele on the other hand, was as jittery as a jitter bug.

Ryou looked at her oddly for a moment before speaking, "What's wrong?" Hekele sighed, taking a small breath.

"I've never been out to eat before...I don't know what foods I'll like or dislike, and I'm sure my table manners will be a little less than perfect..." she said slowly. Kachie nodded to her.

"Hey...I feel the same way...it's been so long since I've been out and about that I don't remember what it's like or what I like...except ice cream..." she said thoughtfully.

Keichiro and Ryou chuckled at her last remark, and then Ryou spoke, facing Hekele, "We thought about that...and that's why we're taking you to a buffet. At a buffet, you can pick out whatever you want, and as much as you want. As for table manners, you both seem to have a natural grace about you...all I saw of your table manners came while we ate those banana-splits...and you seemed to be doing very well...it won't be a problem..."

Keichiro nodded, "Yes...and don't be afraid to ask for help if you can't figure something out...we understand your concern, and, as Shirogane-san said, it won't be a problem for anyone...you won't make fools of yourselves at all..."

Hekele nodded and took another breath as they stopped at the first house...Ichigo's, "I still feel nervous..."

Ryou smirked as Ichigo slipped into the limo on the other side of him, "Oh, don't worry...if anyone causes this outing to go bad...it'll be this baka strawberry...not you two..."

Ichigo had growled for the entire limousine ride about Ryou's remark, making it rather miserable for everyone. When they got to the restaurant, Ryou had to practically drag Hekele out of the vehicle and into the building, as her anxiety had returned. The other girls watched the two curiously, finding it rather amusing that Ryou seemed to be at his wits' end with the girl, and yet kept as gentle a smile on his face as he could throughout the whole thing.

"Look, I'm sorry I mentioned that they kill and cook the lobsters themselves! I promise it won't be alive if you try some! And I'm even sorrier I told you about all the different types of silverware, it was a mistake! It won't be hard to figure out, and Keichiro and I will help you...hell, _we_ even mess up once in a while! It's ok!" Ryou tried desperately as he pulled Hekele's wrist in the direction of the building. The girl wasn't budging an inch.

"Shirogane-san...maybe we could go out to eat some other evening?" Hekele tried diplomatically.

Ryou paused, as if thinking over her suggestion, before continuing to pull her up the parking lot, "Do you know how hard it is to get reservations at this place! We only got in because they had a cancellation two minutes before I called! We are eating here tonight!"

Keichiro and Kachie were watching, having stopped their own mini-discussion while their friends' only heated up. Keichiro turned to Kachie and chuckled slightly, "Is she always so stubborn?" Kachie rolled her eyes, and nodded.

"Is he?"

"Yes..._always_..." Keichiro said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"She wasn't this afraid of the mall..." Mint mused, quite perplexed by the display. Lettuce watched them for a second before speaking.

"In a mall, especially _that_ mall, you could scream bloody murder and no one would notice or care...but in a fancy restaurant, it's quiet and calm...any raised voice would bring attention to her, as well as uncertainty would when a waiter would ask what they wanted to drink or if she wanted a refill. And once you make a scene, everyone's attention is on you for the duration of the time they are in the restaurant...I can see where it would be troubling..." she said. Pudding looked at her oddly.

"How do you know that na no da?" she asked. Lettuce smiled softly.

"I'm quiet, remember? I like not being noticed or bothered...and I get embarrassed easily...so I would know something like that..." she explained, blushing a bit from embarrassment. Pudding sighed.

"Are you afraid of restaurants na no da?" she prodded. Lettuce laughed.

"No, and I won't be until I have a reason to be..." she replied. She walked over to her two friends and gently split them up and looked at Hekele.

"Last minute anxiety?" she asked. The girl nodded sheepishly. She smiled kindly and grabbed her wrist gently, "Let's go inside...I'll help you pick out some stuff to try...including drinks! It'll be fun!" She had said it in a bubbly tone not her own, but it had done the trick. Seeing her so calm and light-hearted about the subject made Hekele ease up on her argument and followed her timidly.

Ryou looked bewildered at the development and stood there completely motionless until he noticed everyone's eyes on him, "What're you all gawking at! Let's go!" He stomped ungracefully toward the building and was painfully aware of the girls' giggles following him.

Hekele and Kachie were munching happily on some sushi and crab legs. They had sampled chicken, beef, pork, seafood, as well as a bunch of different types of fruits and vegetables. They never made it as far as dessert.

Kachie smiled in a satisfied way and sighed, "I am so full..." Hekele nodded in agreement as she carefully placed her napkin next to her plate.

"Me too...I don't think I'll be able to eat for a month..." she said seriously. Everyone else at the table seemed to have drawn the same conclusion, including Ryou and Keichiro.

"Keichiro..." Ryou started. The older male looked over at him curiously.

"What Shirogane-san?"

"This had to be your best idea yet...aside from making Ichigo miserable this morning by calling in a break in..."

"I heard that Shirogane-san..."

"I know that baka strawberry, that's why I said it."

"..."

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Shut-up Shirogane-san...you are so mean..." Ichigo said at last, and turned her head away. Keichiro watched with a bemused expression and shook his head. Their waitress came by with the bill and handed it to Ryou, who didn't miss a beat by passing it to Keichiro. Keichiro blinked a few times before looking back at Ryou.

"And what, pre-tell, am I supposed to do with this?" he asked. Ryou smirked.

"Pay it."

Keichiro gave him a look, "I paid for the limousine..."

"And I paid four times as much for Hekele's and Kachie's clothes earlier...you got the bill..." he stated smoothly. Keichiro grumbled lightly as he fished out his credit card, glaring at a smirking Ryou the whole time.

Hekele leaned over to Ichigo and whispered, "Is Shirogane-san always sly like that?" Ichigo giggled.

"Usually only to me...but apparently Keichiro-san makes for an easier target today..." she said lightly. Hekele nodded to herself and made a mental note to try not to get his attention on a bad day.

After Keichiro grudgingly paid the bill, the large group of friends walked outside and were met by the limousine. Once inside, they idly started up conversations once again. Ryou, Hekele, and Lettuce remained quiet though, content with listening to everyone else have a good time. After a few minutes, and almost to Mint's house, Pudding came up with an idea.

"Why don't we all go walking around the park na no da? It's so nice just to spend time together outside of fighting Chimera Animas and working in the café na no da..." she said. Everyone looked at one another for a moment before smiles began spreading.

"I think that Pudding-san's idea sounds fun...just our group for a while, no Chimera Animas, no lovesick aliens, and no customers! Why not!" Mint replied. Ichigo's smiled broadened.

"It looks like you and I are on the same wavelength for once Mint-san...I was thinking along the same lines!" she said.

Ryou looked at Keichiro and shrugged, "What do you think?" Personally, he wanted to go back to the café and take a nap or something, but he didn't feel up to spoiling the group's fun and suffering the consequences...so he was counting in Keichiro to do it.

Keichiro, sensing Ryou's lack of enthusiasm, grinned, "I think it sounds like a splendid idea! Driver, there's been a change of plans...please drop us all off by the park if you don't mind..."

Ryou's eyes widened as he realized that Keichiro was getting even with him. He hadn't thought it was possible, but Keichiro actually had a mean bone in him... He growled lightly, drawing a smirk from Ichigo, who had caught on, and was quite thrilled to assist in Keichiro's little revenge scheme. Ryou didn't have a prayer.

Ryou was dead tired. The girls and Keichiro must have had him walking around that park for at least three hours, and he was sure that as soon as he got up to his nice comfy bed, he would be dead to the world until it was time to open the café the next afternoon...

He looked over at Hekele and Kachie, and found that they looked exhausted as well. He mentally berated himself for not remembering that their stamina wasn't the best yet, having never had to walk around all day and work like most people. But, surprisingly, they were holding up rather well, and they weren't complaining at all...

He walked over to them, causing them to look up and smile tiredly, "How are you two holding up? I think they're trying to walk us to death..." he said lightly, earning a light laugh from each of them. It was then that Keichiro, who had been savoring his mild revenge, looked back and saw how tired the two girls looked. He sighed, rather upset with his lack of thought, and was about to say something when a little pink puff of fuzz appeared by Ichigo and started yelling in their ears.

"Chimera Anima alert! Chimera Anima alert! Alien alert! Alien alert!" wailed Mini-Mew. The group of girls completely froze and stared at the thing as if it were an alien itself. It wasn't that they didn't trust it's programming, but they were getting tired as well...

Ichigo groaned, "With my luck it's that jerk Kisshu..."

"Jerk alert! Jerk alert!" Mini-Mew continued. Before Ichigo could even roll her eyes, the said alien appeared above and in front of the group, smirking. Ryou and Keichiro instinctively stood before Hekele and Kachie, ready to protect them if need be. The two girls didn't mind, and kept close to them.

Kisshu's smirk broadened, "Why hello Mew Mews...and what brings you out this fine evening?" The girls all glared at him angrily.

"What do you want Kisshu!" Ichigo demanded. It was a stupid question, but it was right to the point.

"What else kitty-cat? To defeat your little band of goody-goodies..." he retorted.

Suddenly, a noise was heard in the trees. Everyone instinctively turned their heads in the direction it was heard in, only to hear it once more in another direction. Keichiro and Ryou looked at one another briefly before carefully decreasing the distance between themselves and the girls further. Hekele and Kachie kept darting their eyes around the area, looking for a sign of whatever was there. The noise was heard once more, and Kachie caught a glimpse of something. It was huge.

"...Guys...it's big..." she said quietly. Keichiro heard her though and followed her line of vision to the woods on their left. After a moment or so, he saw something move as well. His eyes widened at it's size and he stood in front of her so that it didn't have a clear shot if it chose her as its target.

"Ryou, it's huge," he said warily.

"Where is the Chimera Anima Kisshu!" Ichigo yelled. Kisshu grinned once more.

"He'll find you kitten..." he said, teleporting away.

Ichigo wasn't waiting, "Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis!" she yelled, activating her power pendant and transforming into Mew Ichigo. The rest of the girls motioned to follow suit, but were stopped when a large tail whipped out of nowhere, leveling the trees in its path and knocking the girls across the clearing painfully. Ichigo barely avoided the appendage.

She jumped up and twisted in the air, landing on a fallen tree. She stole a glance at the rest of the Mews and found them picking themselves up as quickly as possible and transforming. The tail re-appeared and everyone was able to avoid it this time. After watching it whip around for a moment, the beast controlling it made itself visible.

It was a giant, mutated tiger. It's fangs were at least as long as one of their legs, and it's head and body were massive. Ryou's eyes enlarged; he had never seen such a large Chimera Anima before. He turned to Keichiro to speak but found him already talking.

"We need to get these two out of here," he said, "this one is too dangerous..." Ryou nodded and grabbed Hekele's wrist. He started running in the opposite direction of the beast, knowing that Keichiro and Kachie were following them. They didn't get very far.

The four of them had advanced only a few feet before the massive tail whipped out at them. Ryou saw it seconds before impact and grabbed Hekele tightly, twisting so that she wouldn't be directly hit. He felt the tail hit him and then felt the sensation of flying through the air. He was vaguely aware of Hekele gripping his shirt tightly and tightened his own hold on her reassuringly.

They landed painfully hard against a tree and Ryou heard a sickening crack. Hekele screamed and he realized that she had broken something. He staggered back a bit, still holding her, and saw her left arm hanging limply at her side.

_No, not broken...just dislocated..._ he thought as his eyes swept over the scene. Keichiro and Kachie had landed near them, and appeared to be all right for the most part. They were both conscience anyway... The Mews were doing their best against the tiger Chimera Anima, but its massive size and increased speed and agility made most attempts futile.

Keichiro groaned painfully as he rolled off of Kachie. That had been an agonizing landing. He idly wondered how the hell Ryou was still living after having been knocked around like that so many times in the past. He looked over at Kachie and was glad to see that she hadn't suffered any major injuries. They both heard Hekele's scream and snapped their heads to see if she was all right. Ryou looked to have a handle on the situation, but Keichiro was able to see what had caused Hekele so much misery.

"It just looks like a dislocated shoulder from here...very painful, but easily taken care of..." he told Kachie reassuringly. The girl nodded and began to sit up slowly, aching all over from the impact. Keichiro helped her up and had her lean against him as the two stood. After stealing a glance at the occupied Chimera Anima, the two made their way as quickly as possible to Ryou and Hekele. They were glad to get there without further injury.

"Are you two all right?" Keichiro asked as he and Kachie leaned against the tree. Ryou looked up and gave hima grimlook.

"Her shoulder's dislocated, but other than that we're pretty much ok," he replied, looking over Hekele once more, and then allowing his eyes to drift to Kachie to be sure that she was ok as well.

Keichiro nodded, "Good..." he watched the Mews fight and grimaced at how poorly the battle was playing out, "This is bad..." Ryou turned his head to look and saw as Pudding was thrown from the beast's leg and into a children's play set. The other girls didn't appear to be having much better luck.

"Well, well...it appears you have a couple of new friends..." Ryou and Keichiro snapped their heads around and saw Kisshu floating behind them nonchalantly, eyeing Hekele and Kachie curiously. Ryou and Keichiro moved swiftly to block them from him, and Kisshu did nothing to stop them. He just eyed them suspiciously.

"Are you Mew Mews?" he asked the two girls. They only glared at him hatefully, surprising him. Most humans, aside from the Mew Mews and their two male friends here, were afraid of him. These two little girls just seemed royally pissed off. He grinned.

"No, I suppose not, or else you'd be out there helping them instead of cowering here behind your boyfriends..." he taunted.

Kachie smirked slightly, a bit of malice creeping into her eyes, "Well, they are boys and they are our friends..." She mentally tapped into the barrier between hers and Hekele's minds. She and Hekele had discovered that they had the ability to communicate telepathically with one another, and it may come in handy.

_Hekele? Can you hear me?_

_**Yes...do you have a plan or are you going to stare him down all night? Our friends are in trouble over there...**_

_Yea, I got an idea...do you think you'll manage with that injury? We can try to take out this guy with our powers...and then if we're still conscious we can help those guys..._ Using their powers took up lots of their energy since they weren't used to it. In fact, the only time they had been able to use their powers had been staged by the scientists at the base. It had been difficult to control their powers at first, but they had gotten the hang of it and had spent most of their energy in a few moments. It had felt incredible to let their powers loose, but they hadn't had the chance to do much before they had collapsed.

_**I think I can handle it...we'll need to be quick though...**_

_Yeah, I know...you hit him high and I'll hit him low, got it?_

_**Consider it got...on three...one**_

_...Two..._

"Three!" They both shouted it at the same time and hit Kisshu unexpectedly with a quick burst of power. He was burnt and frozen at the same time. The ice on his legs weighed him down and he fell, and the fire charred his skin. He lay on the ground for a moment in complete shock before breaking the ice and wiping the soot from his face.

"Well, I see you aren't completely helpless are you? How interesting," he said. He drew his sais and got into a battle position.

Ryou hesitated but moved aside when Hekele touched his shoulder, "We can do this Shirogane-san...as he said, we aren't completely helpless..." Ryou looked at Keichiro and found him in the same mind-set. They didn't want the two to get hurt, and felt like they had to protect them, but they might be able to protect themselves even better...

"We'll give it a shot...but be careful..." Keichiro said to the two of them. They nodded and looked at Kisshu, who had grown bored.

"You certainly act tough, let's see what you've got already." He lunged at the two of them and they dodged, rather ungracefully, but dodged. Hekele drew up some of her energy and gripped his wrist, burning it and flipping him over her back, right into Kachie's forming ice prison. As soon as he landed inside she sealed it with an ice lid. The two knew that he would break out in a few seconds, but they were using those few seconds to sum up enough energy for an efficient attack. Their hands were glowing as their energy flowed to them and they stood, poised and waiting.

Almost right on cue, Kisshu broke out from the ice prison with a look of triumph on his face, "That was too easy."

He was never graced with a reply, other than the huge double blasts of energy that came hurtling at him. He fell back painfully but after a few moments got up. He stared at them, floating far enough away so as not to be taken by surprise again.

"Impressive...I'll have to get back to you two...you're an interesting pair...Catch ya later..." He disappeared as he said it, leaving the two girls and the boys alone.

Kachie gratefully stopped the flow of power, beginning to feel the fatigue set in. She turned to Hekele and found her power still flowing...dangerously.

"Hekele-chan? You should stop the flow of power while we come up with a plan...you'll wear yourself out..." she said, concerned. Hekele turned to her, fear written all over her face.

"I...can't...I can't stop the flow..." she said, frightened. Kachie's eyes widened.

"You can't?"

Hekele began to panic, "No, I can't!" Her arms began to light on flames and traveled to her shoulders. She screamed.

Ryou and Keichiro ran over to the two of them as quickly as they could. "What's happening?" Ryou asked. Kachie looked completely helpless.

"Her powers...they won't stop flowing...we can usually stop the flow of power in an instant...but hers aren't stopping..." she got out, trying to find a way to help. Keichiro looked at her briefly.

"Could you maybe use your ice on her? It would melt and maybe put out her arms..." he tried. Kachie didn't even bother to think before tapping into her power and summoning a low dose and sending it at Hekele. It melted and evaporated before it even touched her.

Kachie looked at Ryou, "Try to calm her down! Her power'll decrease enough for this to have some effect." Ryou stood still.

"How the hell am I suppose to do that!" he yelled. Keichiro glared at him.

"At least try!"

Ryou sighed and looked at Hekele before carefully easing his way to her, "Hi...Hekele...umm...calm down?" Ok, he knew it was lame, but it was a start right? He tried again, "It'll be ok...just...stop panicking...you're ok...all right? You'll be just fine..." The flames seemed to decrease some, and Kachie's ice stopped evaporating. The water hit Hekele with almost too much force, but it did the trick. As soon as ice began to form on her skin, Kachie abruptly stopped. It was odd, but she felt _her _power linger...she felt it swirl around her oddly, and she felt very cold. Her eyes widened in realization. Her own powers were beginning to lose control. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her own fears. Memories flooded into her mind as she recalled the time when she was young at the boarding school...how she had lost control...she took another deep breath and closed her eyes. After a moment of this, she felt a hand on her shoulder, lightly gripping it in calming manner.

"It's ok Kachie-san...you're all right..." Keichiro said calmly. Kachie turned to face him and gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks Keichiro-san..." she said softly. Keichiro pulled her into a light embrace and pulled her toward Hekele and Ryou.

"How are you two holding up?" he asked, releasing Kachie when he was sure that she wouldn't fall over. Poor Hekele looked like something the cat dragged in, but at least she wasn't on fire any longer. She was curled up in a ball with her knees drawn up to her chin and she was sobbing lightly. Her new outfit was singed and soaked as well.

Ryou looked at her and gently rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm her further, "I think she'll be ok...how's Kachie?" Keichiro looked at her once more and gave her a small smile of encouragement.

"She'll be ok." After a moment of calming silence between the four, aside from Hekele's quiet sobs, they turned their attention back to the Chimera Anima, which, they were happy to see look much worse for the wear. After a few more minutes, Ichigo was able to use her Strawberry Bell against it and defeat it. They would have to call someone about that roaming tiger...

The girls all ran up to the ragged looking group hurriedly, "Are you guys ok? What happened?" Ichigo kneeled before the group and looked them over.

"What _did_ happen to you guys?" she asked. Ryou snorted.

"Kisshu payed us a visit...and these two kicked him back to space..." he said. Mint frowned.

"Ok...that would explain why you look like you got the crap beat out of you...that and the giant tail anyway...but what happened to _them_?" she asked. Ryou looked at Hekele for a moment before giving in.

"We had a little power issue...we'll explain later, let's just get back to the café..." he said. Keichiro nodded.

"Let's get going, it's getting late, we'll call up your parents and let them know that you're staying the night, you all can't walk home in this condition..." he said. No one protested. After everyone started leaving, Ryou looked at Hekele again and held out his hand to her.

"Come on...you need to get into some dry clothes, and then we'll force Keichiro to make some more banana-splits...ok?" he offered. Hekele looked up at him for a moment before slowly taking his hand. He pulled her up gently and motioned to follow the rest of the group.

Zakuro noticed them lagging behind and turned to Keichiro, "Puppy love?" Keichiro glanced back quickly and shook his head.

"Not yet...but they're working on it..."

"Ahhh...how long?"

"A week or two."

Pudding piped up, "I give it one week tops...Shirogane-san is being nice to her...that's a crucial factor na no da..."

Ichigo grinned, "I think Pudding's right..."

Mint shook her head, "I think that Keichiro and Zakuro are a little more accurate..."

Ichigo grinned, "Twenty..."

Mint looked at her oddly, "What?"

Ichigo's grin widened, "Twenty bucks says they'll be together by the end of the week."

Mint's eyes narrowed dangerously, "You're on..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 3**

****

"Yes Ma'am, I'll be sure to tell her to be back before ten tomorrow...all right...yes, and thank you very much for understanding...sorry for the short notice...good-bye then..." Keichiro hung up the phone and sighed. The caretakers at the shelter where Pudding lived had drilled him to the bone when he called to ask permission for her to stay the night. Eventually though, when he mentioned that all her friends were going to be there as well, and lied about it being a party/lock-in, they had agreed to let her stay. Keichiro had to admit, Pudding was in good hands with the people there...they were very cautious...

Keichiro walked out of the kitchen to where everyone was gathered and gave a thumbs-up, signifying that everyone was allowed to stay the night at the café. Pudding jumped up and down a few times before sitting down and yawning. The gang smiled a bit at the girl, whom was always so upbeat...except for that moment...she was just beat...

The group heard muffled thumping and looked up in time to see Hekele and Kachie coming down the stairs in their pajamas. Hekele in her flamingo set, and Kachie in her skull one. Ryou smirked a bit, but tried to hide it; seeing Kachie in skulls when she had been so dressed up earlier seemed slightly humorous to him, but it oddly seemed to suit her as well. Ryou thought that the flamingos fit Hekele's shy personality too; between her and Kachie, the only thing they were missing were the matching slippers...

Hekele caught the group looking at Kachie and herself and blushed slightly. "Hi...is everyone able to stay the night?" she asked quietly, still very upset about earlier. Keichiro smiled kindly and nodded.

"Yes, everyone's able to stay...that reminds me; Pudding, you have to be back before ten tomorrow..."

Keichiro handed Mint and Zakuro some warm green tea and honey while Lettuce patched them up; they had some nice cuts from the Chimera Anima that needed a bit of stitching. Keichiro also placed a cup of the tea on the table for Lettuce when she was finished. She looked up from her work and smiled gratefully.

"Thank you Keichiro-san; I think we all need the tea..." she said truthfully as she finished with Mint and moved on to Zakuro's remaining wound. Mint took a sip of her tea and sighed happily.

"Yes, thank you very much...this tastes wonderful..." she said, in her own little bliss. Zakuro only smiled and nodded her thanks to Keichiro, who smiled at them all.

"Anytime ladies...how are you doing?" he asked politely. Lettuce smiled.

"These two will live...and I'm not too bad off myself...how are the others?" she asked worriedly.

Keichiro sat next to them and smiled once more lightly, "Ichigo-san and Pudding-san are attempting to bandage each other up at the same time...but it doesn't appear to be working out too well..." Pudding was seen hopping by wrapped like a mummy and Ichigo was chasing her around frantically, looking closely related.

Zakuro sighed, "Who started the insanity this time?" Keichiro laughed at how dry and unconcerned her tone was.

"Pudding-san...Ichigo-san was wrapping her arm and she started spinning in circles...then she grabbed the other set of bandages and _attempted _to have Ichigo-san do the same..." he said as he observed Pudding hopping in the other direction with Ichigo running after her, half the bandages ripped off and scattered.

Lettuce smiled at this sight and returned to Zakuro's bandage, "...How are Hekele-san and Kachie-san? They both seemed very upset earlier...especially Hekele-san..."

Keichiro sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "...Hekele-san...after she used her powers...for some reason or another, couldn't stop the flow of her power. She began to panic and her flames began to engulf her; which made her panic more, so Kachie-san tried to put them out using her melted ice. Her ice ended up _evaporating, _so we had Shirogane-san try to calm her down enough for the flames to weaken so that they could be put out. Eventually, it worked. Then Kachie-san almost lost control of _her _powers...but she figured out what was happening because it had happened to Hekele-san, and was able to calm herself down and suppress it..."

Lettuce's eyes were wide and her hand was covering her mouth in shock, "Are they all right? Are they hurt at all?" Mint's eyes were wide and her mouth was partially open.

"...I can see why they seemed so out of it...poor things..." she said slowly, genuinely feeling compassion for them. Zakuro appeared to be deep in thought, but said nothing.

Keichiro held up his hands, "Physically, the two are just fine, but emotionally, they're a wreck...at least Hekele-san is...Kachie-san isn't as bad...but Hekele-san was crying for quite a while before you showed up..."

Lettuce sighed sadly, "Is there anything we can do?"

Keichiro shook his head, "Until they learn how to control their powers better, there's nothing anyone can do...it'll just take time and practice..."

Hekele sighed as she stood on the balcony. It felt nice outside, and she was enjoying her solitude. She felt safer now that she was home.

_Heh...home...I've only been here for less than twenty-four hours...and I can call it home...but...what happens if I lose control of my powers again? What happens if I hurt someone next time?_

"Hekele?" came a voice behind her. Hekele looked behind her and saw Ryou standing there. He was holding two small banana-splits as he walked up to her. He smiled slightly and handed one to her.

"I promised you a banana-split; here it is," he said nonchalantly. Hekele blushed a bit as she accepted the treat.

"Thank you Shirogane-san...you didn't have to you know..." she said. Ryou shrugged.

"Yeah I did; if I say it, I mean it...even if it's as dumb as a banana-split at eleven-thirty at night..." he said. Hekele rolled her eyes.

"Shirogane-san, _you're_ eating a banana-split at eleven-thirty as well..." she said pointedly. Ryou smirked as he took a big bite of his own dessert.

"That doesn't mean that it isn't dumb..." he replied. Hekele smiled again and began eating hers as well. The two stood there in silence for a few minutes as they ate, both enjoying the peace and quiet. Finally, Ryou spoke once more.

"Are you all right?" he asked casually. Hekele was a bit taken aback by the question, but answered him truthfully.

"...Not really..." came her solemn reply. Ryou sighed and looked at her.

"You know, it's ok. You've probably only used your powers a few times, haven't you?" he asked. Hekele nodded and he continued, "Well then, it's only a matter of using them in small doses and working your way up to bigger things...having you and Kachie fight Kisshu so soon wasn't the best idea...but Keichiro and I were, and are, very impressed with how you two did...despite the mishap at the end." Hekele listened to him, and offered him a small smile in gratitude.

"Thank you for the kind words Shirogane-san, but I'm still afraid. What if I mess up and hurt a friend or an innocent person next time?" she asked. Ryou looked at her oddly.

"Didn't I say that we'd work on it? Besides, you're not the only person having troubles right now; Kachie's downstairs eating a banana-split and feeling crummy too. Did you know that she almost lost control of her powers back there? The only reason she didn't was because it had just happened to you, and she knew what was going on...maybe now that you know what it feels like, you won't be so afraid of it and you'll be able to suppress it if it happens again..." he pointed out. Hekele seemed to contemplate this information for a few moments before looking back at Ryou.

"...Maybe I'll go downstairs and talk to her...we have to stick together, ne?" she said, slightly cheered. Ryou nodded and Hekele smiled a bit. It was then that Ryou noticed something; something he mentally berated himself for forgetting.

"Wait, your arm! It's..." he drifted off as he looked at her still smiling face.

"I'm the phoenix, ne? The phoenix can heal herself with her flames...it happened when I lost control..." she dropped her sentence, enjoying the shocked expression on Ryou's face. He looked at her, disbelieving for a moment as he touched her arm and looked at her shoulder carefully. Hekele smiled.

"I can also heal others as well, though, not with my flames. My tears also hold healing properties, and work extraordinarily well..." she offered. Ryou was stunned.

"I...never knew that. My father didn't write anything about either of those things in his journal..." he said. Hekele's smile broadened.

"Perhaps even he didn't know of them..." Hekele paused for a moment before speaking once more. "Thanks again Shirogane-san...for everything..." she said shyly, blushing a bit once more. Ryou smiled a little, satisfied that he had helped somewhat, though he was still a bit awed with the information he was given, and nodded lightly before motioning to lead her downstairs. Hekele blushed once more as she followed him, still holding the remains of her banana-split. She took another bite and smiled to herself.

_At least now Kachie-chan and I have friends to help us...maybe we'll eventually be of some use to them in return..._

Kachie looked up from her table in the kitchen as Keichiro walked back in. She was only half way through her banana-split, and it was beginning to melt. Keichiro pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

"You know, they won't bite, Kachie-san...you don't have to eat in here all by yourself," he said, resting his chin on the back of his chair. Kachie sighed and shook her head.

"...I know that...it's just that I want a little alone time, ne?" she said, hoping he'd understand. Keichiro nodded slowly, but gave a tiny smile.

"You and Hekele-san aren't alone anymore...you don't need to go through the hard times by yourselves. All you need to do is ask, and everyone here would bend over backwards to cheer you up...especially our residing monkey..." he joked.

Kachie smiled a bit, "Let me guess...Pudding-san?" Keichiro laughed a bit and nodded.

"Yes, she's quite the talented acrobat if you give her the time and space...which we try not to do for fear of broken dishes..." he said, continuing with his little joke. Kachie actually giggled slightly.

"Too bad for you she seems to do it all the while she's taking orders and serving...you're master strategy isn't working..." she said. Keichiro laughed again.

"Ah...but she hasn't broken anything yet, so it isn't a terrible loss on our part..." he reasoned. Kachie smiled once more.

"Do you always poke fun at the girls behind their backs?" she asked slyly.

Keichiro shook his head, "No, but I'm sure in this case Pudding-san would be laughing with us...she has a good sense of humor and is mature enough to laugh at herself once in a while."

Kachie took another bite of her banana-split and smiled, "Thank you for cheering me up Keichiro-san, it was nice of you..."

Keichiro grinned, "It was my pleasure Kachie-san; just remember that we're all here to help you when you're down...that's what good friends are for."

Kachie smiled a bit more, "We've all only been acquainted with one another for less than a day, how can we be considered 'good friends' already?"

Keichiro laughed and looked behind her at the door to the kitchen, "Because the girls and Shirogane-san seemed to have already inducted Hekele-san and yourself into their club..."

Kachie looked at him oddly before turning around and looking with him to the door. Crouching there, peeking through the crack, were all of the Mew Mews, Ryou, and Hekele.

As soon as their cover was blown, Pudding and Ichigo attempted to make a mad dash away from the scene, but since they were in the middle of the group, they ended up tripping everyone else.

After much yelping, 'ouching,' and even a bit of cursing on Ryou's part, all that remained of the group was a large heap of confused and dazed bodies. Kachie just stood their frozen for a few minutes, contemplating the odd sight, before bursting into laughter. Keichiro followed suit after a moment of trying to contain it. Eventually, everyone was laughing or smiling...well...almost...

"Hey! You guys are heavy! Get off already!" Ryou yelled from the absolute bottom of the pile. Hekele, who was partially on top of him, was seconds away from yelling herself; the group of laughing and giggling girls was crushing her.

"Yes, please do get off...Shirogane-san isn't the only person at the bottom you know..." she said, rather placidly. After hearing their tones the Mews on to began either standing up or rolling off the flattened pair, still muffling laughter. When the two were the only ones on the ground, everyone giggled at the expressions of complete misery on their faces.

"Ow..." was all Hekele muttered as she rolled the rest of the way off of Ryou and onto the floor. She then sat up and glared at Pudding and Ichigo.

"What on Earth was that about?" she asked. Pudding twiddled her thumbs.

"Well, you and Ryou came downstairs and started heading for the kitchen, but then you stopped and peaked in the doorway na no da. The rest of us were curious as to why and we came up and peaked in the door behind you; then we got caught and thought we were in trouble na no da..." she explained matter-of-factly.

Ryou groaned from the floor and sat up, rather annoyed, "We came down to cheer Kachie up and when we saw the Keichiro already seemed to have it covered, we decided to wait to go in there so we didn't interrupt their little chat..." Hekele nodded in affirmative. The group 'oohed' and quietly crept away from the grumpy pair sitting on the floor.

Keichiro kindly walked over to the pair and helped Hekele up, seeing as Ryou seemed to still be contemplating how annoyed he should be, or he most likely would have done it himself. Hekele quietly thanked Keichiro, who only smiled in return, and walked up to a still giggling Kachie.

"Was it truly that amusing Kachie-chan?" she asked apathetically. Kachie nodded.

"Yes, it was..." she said, as calmly as she could. Hekele graced her with a small glare before smiling herself.

"I suppose I'd find it amusing as well if I hadn't been stuck at the bottom..." she stated.

Ryou growled as he stood up from the floor. "Ok, that's it, time for bed, or else I'll open up the café four hours early to make up for today..." he threatened. Ichigo and the others 'meeped,' (aside from Mint and Zakuro, who hardly allowed their eyes to widen in recognition of the threat,) and rushed upstairs, leaving Hekele and Kachie with Ryou and Keichiro. Ryou gave them a look.

"That goes for you two as well..." he said, turning and stalking up the stairs. Once he was gone, Keichiro winked at the girls before ushering them up the stairs.

"Don't worry, he always gets grouchy when he gets embarrassed...he doesn't mean anything by it..." he reassured. The girls nodded a little and followed him up the stairs.

Maybe a full night's rest would do everyone some good...

Kachie awoke in her bed to the early rays of sunlight. It was still quite dark outside, but the golden orb in the east was beginning to rise none-the-less. She sat up and stretched in her bed and sighed. She had the gut feeling that she was the first one up, and she didn't relish the thought. Kachie felt like being around people at the moment, but if people were sleeping, then that could present a problem.

_Hekele-chan..._ Nothing.

_Hekele-chan...wakey, waky..._ Still nothing.

_Hekele-chan...if you don't wake up soon I'm gonna come into your room and pounce on you..._ That did it.

**_Kachie-chan...Why are you waking me up at this hour? I've only had a few hours of sleep...go back to bed..._** Hekele said through their mind link. Kachie smirked.

_But I can't...I'm wide awake!_

_**No more banana-splits before bed-time for you then Kachie-chan...now let me sleep!**_

_No! I don't wanna! Hey, I have a question._

_**Do I have to hear it?**_

_No, wait, seriously, I've always wondered this...but have always forgotten to ask._

_**Big surprise there...**_

_Hear me out!_

_**Fine...as long as you let me get back to bed...**_

_Sure! Ok, here's the question: Why can we communicate with our minds?_

_**Kachie-chan! Weren't you the one to tell me not to question a blessing!**_

_So what? I'm still curious!_

_**Maybe it's because of what we are. Maybe it's because our powers are getting under control, or better yet, maybe we can communicate with anyone we want as long as one of us creates a mind link! Take your pick! Now let me sleep!**_

_Awe, come on...you're the only other person awake...you CAN'T ignore me now..._

_**That's because YOU woke me up! And I can ignore you whenever I want!**_

_So do it..._

_**I am!**_

_Nuh-uh..._

_**Shut-up, goodnight, and good riddance! **_

Kachie remained silent, quite happy with the early morning turmoil she had caused her friend. She could see that the sun's ascent had taken it higher in the sky, and it was much brighter outside. She was certain that at least one of her new friends had to be an early riser, and with the sun as high as it was...it was only a matter of time before...

"Good morning na no da!" came Pudding's loud and cheerful shout. Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, tired groans reached Kachie's ears, and even a rather loud crash from one of the other rooms. After a second of rather faint cursing, Kachie heard the buzzing of an alarm clock, which resulted in another loud crash and more quiet cursing. Smiling to herself, she got up and exited her room, only to be confronted by a large group of zombie-fied teenage girls. Even Zakuro and Mint, whom were naturally beautiful, calm, and graceful, seemed dead on their feet with bags under their eyes and hair sticking up everywhere. Only Pudding seemed like herself.

Kachie watched as Hekele walked out of her bedroom, just as unstable as the rest of the girls. She had made it a total of three steps out of her room before tripping over Ichigo and falling flat on her face. Kachie stifled a giggle and watched as Ryou made his grand entrance into the living room. He was armed with both an absent and rather pissed off expression, and a broken alarm clock.

"Who shouted?" was all he asked, trying to gain focus in his vision. Everyone pointed at Pudding, who smiled and bounced up to him.

"It was me na no da!" she said cheerfully. Ryou shoved the broken alarm clock into her hands.

"Then you get to fix it, here," was all he said as he turned around and walked back into his room. After a moment of everyone sitting there, (or lying there in Hekele's and Ichigo's case,) the group heard a shower turn on. Minutes later, Keichiro walked up the stairs and stared in shock at the normally vibrant, or at least better groomed, group.

"Well, it seems we've only two bright and early-birds in our bunch...would you two care to help me finish up breakfast?" he asked Kachie and Pudding politely. Hekele suddenly looked up, a realization dawning on her.

"How long have you been awake Keichiro-san?" she asked suspiciously. Keichiro looked at her oddly.

"I've been awake for almost an hour now...why Hekele-san?" he replied. Hekele only narrowed her eyes and glared at Kachie.

"You woke me up for nothing!" she yelled, getting ready to dive at her friend, but she tripped over Ichigo once more, sending her back to the ground. Everyone stared at her for a moment before looking at Kachie.

"What was that all about Kachie-san?" Lettuce asked. Kachie grinned slightly.

"Hekele and I have the ability to communicate with one another through our minds...and I sort of woke her up at the crack of dawn so that I'd have someone to talk to..." she explained. Everyone stared at her in mild confusion.

"You can communicate with her through your mind?" Mint asked. Kachie nodded.

"We figured it out about three years ago...we just so happened to both really need to communicate with someone, and our minds crossed paths and we spoke for the first time to one another. Eventually, we were able to control this ability enough so that we could force the other person to hear us, to initiate conversation on purpose and not by chance and luck," she replied. The group then turned to Hekele, who was staring up at Kachie with a rather annoyed look on her face.

"Next time, bug HIM!" she scolded, pointing her finger at Keichiro. She stood up and attempted to walk back into her room, though she did so rather ungracefully.

The group stared at the door before Keichiro cleared his throat, "Umm, help with breakfast?"

Kachie shook her head and walked over to him, grabbing Pudding and dragging her with her, "Yes, Keichiro-san, we'd be delighted to help...just don't trust anything that actually has to do with food with me until I learn my way around that kitchen of yours..."

Keichiro sighed slightly and led the two downstairs, leaving the rest to their own devices, "No problem..."

By the time Ryou made it downstairs, Mint and Zakuro looked more like their glamourous selves, Ichigo wasn't being squashed by a stumbling Hekele, Pudding was relatively calm, Lettuce was awake enough to chop things up, (which, given it was trip-and-fall-Lettuce, Ryou still thought was a bad idea,) Hekele was drinking her first ever cup of coffee, (well, Ryou _hoped_ it was her first cup,) and both Keichiro and Kachie were working together happily on breakfast. Ryou paused long enough before entering the room to check out what was being made: omelets.

"Well, it seems that everyone is more awake now..." he said nonchalantly as he entered the room. He pulled out a seat between Hekele and Zakuro and slumped down. Hekele looked at him and smiled.

"Except perhaps for you Shirogane-san...maybe you would like a cup of coffee?" she offered kindly. Ryou nodded a bit and started to get up, fully intent on draining whatever the coffee maker had left in it, when Hekele shot up and went to the cabinet and grabbed a mug. He blinked a few times in confusion.

"I could have gotten it, Hekele," he said. Hekele turned to him and smiled.

"Why would I offer you some and then make you get it yourself? Would you like cream or sugar?" she asked. Ryou shook his head and Hekele handed him the now full cup of coffee.

"No thanks...I drink mine black...Umm, may I ask when you suddenly became a coffee expert?" he questioned, taking a sip. Hekele smiled.

"I'm on my fourth cup of coffee, I've had one with cream, one with sugar, one with both, and now one plain...or black as you called it. I think I prefer mine with a little sugar though..." she answered. Ryou nearly spat out his coffee.

"You've had four cups of coffee already? Keichiro! Are you insane? You let her have _that_ much?" he exclaimed, turning his head between the supposedly intelligent man who had raised him for the past five years and the soon-to-be hyper teenager next to him.

Keichiro smiled sheepishly from his position by the stove, "Well...one cup hardly seemed enough...and then she really wanted to try it different ways so she'd know which way she'd like it in the future..." He shrugged it off and helped Kachie with scrambling the eggs, not seeing his crime.

Ryou slapped his hand to his face, "I can see it now...she'll be just like Pudding, only taller and much less controllable..." Pudding, in reply to his mention of her, stuck her tongue out childishly and made a face.

The rest of the gang watched Ryou's altercation with Hekele, and the ensuing dispute, with much interest. After all, Ichigo and Mint had money on when Hekele and Ryou would get together, and the entire group had decided to keep tabs. So far, since they had begun keeping track, the two had had only two or three cute altercations. They weren't sure what had taken place on the balcony the previous evening, but since Hekele had come downstairs in a good mood with Ryou right beside her, the group had unanimously decided to toss it in the cute pile. They weren't sure what to call Hekele and Ryou being stuck at the bottom of a pile of teenage girls like had happened the previous night, so they had placed that incident in the maybe pile. Then there had just been that adorable coffee scene a few minutes ago...

_Definitely worthy of the cute pile...but I still think that one week is way to quick for the two of them...and two weeks is pushing it..._ Mint thought to herself. She watched as Ryou drank his coffee and warily watched Hekele, almost as if he expected her top to blow at any given moment. Then her eyes traveled over to Kachie and Keichiro, who were diligently making omelets with the materials that Lettuce was chopping up.

She observed them quietly, out of the corner of her eye, and noticed quickly that Keichiro had seemed to have taken quite the shine to Kachie. He was smiling and chattering with her like she was an old friend, he was calm and patient with her learning, and was there in an instant when she asked for assistance. Mint's eyes began to dance mischievously.

_How precious...it seems that Keichiro-san and Kachie-san are also a possible couple...hmm, I think that I'll keep this one to myself though... _she thought to herself. She continued to watch them quietly, attempting to assess how long their budding relationship would take to fully bloom. She paused, seeing how comfortable they seemed to be in the other's presence, and smiled to herself.

_If Ichigo were to say that **their **relationship would bloom in a week...I'd believe it..._ she thought. Suddenly, a plate was placed before her, knocking her out of her revery.

"Eat up everyone...you don't want it to get cold..." Kachie said proudly, happy to have helped in making the food.

Mint smiled as she took a bite of her food, "Wonderful...it tastes great you two!" Kachie beamed at the fact that she had been given credit and began serving the rest of the food. Mint looked at Lettuce and winked slightly, earning a small smile from the girl.

Lettuce knew that Mint was trying to make Kachie feel good, and so didn't mind when her non-fatal chopping hadn't been mentioned. But when Mint winked at her, she knew that it was her way of giving Lettuce her due credit as well, and it was good enough. Lettuce then looked at Hekele and Ryou once more as she took a bite of her omelet, completely oblivious to the second relationship that was forming between Keichiro and Kachie, and smiled.

_Maybe she'll be good for him; make him happy...he always seems so lonely...since he excepted that Ichigo-san would never leave Masaya-san..._ she thought sadly. Like Keichiro, and the rest of the Mews, she knew of Ryou's rather large crush on Ichigo, and, like everyone on the entire planet, she knew that Ichigo and Masaya were in love, and that nothing could ever separate them. Seeing Ryou upset had left her heartbroken, as it had done the others in one way or another. So, if he excepted Hekele into his heart, everyone hoped that maybe he'd heal...

Keichiro and Kachie continued to talk blissfully about nothing in particular. At one point, Kachie said that the café should offer the omelets as part of their menu, which made Keichiro smile. This led to the two of them talking about Kachie possibly working in the café sooner or later.

"When you get better at cooking, you can help me out in the kitchen...it gets rather frustrating when you're the only chef and there's close to forty teenagers wanting food..." he said. Kachie giggled.

"Yes, I remember your little breakdown from yesterday...I think it'd be kind of fun, working in here I mean...I sort of liked cooking...however little I did..." she said honestly. Keichiro's smiled broadened as he looked at her vibrant face. He would like working with her when she was ready. Hell, at that point, he would be happy to work with anyone...but having Kachie around would be, dare he think it, _more_ enjoyable?

"So, Kachie-san, when would you like to start learning?" he asked out of the blue. Kachie smiled.

"How about at dinner time? And I can watch you while the café is open too!" she said excitedly. Keichiro grinned.

"Deal, you watch me during the day, and we'll work together hands-on at breakfast and dinner..." he suggested. Kachie grinned as well.

"Awesome!" she said, nearly jumping up and giving him a hug. _Nearly_...

Mint watched the pair from her seat and grinned to herself as she finished off her omelet. _One week? At the rate these two are going, they'll be together by closing time tomorrow!_

Five minutes after the café was officially opened, there was a multitude of customers. Ichigo was seen running back and forth like there was no tomorrow, Zakuro wasn't caring when she gave the customers the wrong order, Pudding was rolling around on her giant ball while serving her tables, Lettuce was trying not to break her dishes or get hit by the ball, and Mint was doing everything possible to not work.

In the kitchen, Keichiro was working his butt off over the stove, while he also made up the cold treats. Kachie watched sadly as he ran back and forth with the orders, wanting to help, but not quite sure where to start. She saw the dishes start to pile up in the sink and sighed, Keichiro really had too much work.

Kachie tied up her hair with a rubber-band and began filling the sink with soap and warm water as she had seen Keichiro do after breakfast. As soon as the sink was ready, she got to work washing everything. Keichiro was so busy, he didn't even notice until clean dishes began appearing at his side, ready for food to be placed on them. He looked over at the sink curiously and saw Kachie washing the dishes and silverware quietly, not saying anything. A smile swept onto his face.

"Thank you Kachie-chan, this is most helpful of you..." he said truthfully, looking at her as he spoke. Kachie looked up at him and blushed slightly at the suffix '-chan.' She smiled.

"I can't have you too tired to teach me to cook later Keichiro-san. It's the least I can do for now..." she said as she continued to gracefully wash the dishes. Keichiro went back to working diligently on the orders he was given, quite relieved that he wouldn't have to stop every now and then to wash a few dishes, and then have the huge load when the café closed. He also idly wondered why Kachie's blush pleased him so.

After a few more minutes, Keichiro struck up another conversation, "So, what do you think we should fix for dinner tonight, Kachie-chan? It probably won't compare to the buffet that you and Hekele-san had last night, but I promise that it won't be horrible."

Kachie smiled at him from her newly acquired station, "I'm not sure Keichiro-san, what have we got to work with?"

Keichiro grinned, "Almost everything you can think of; the greatest perk to living in a restaurant of sorts is the limitless amount of ingredients you have within your reach..."

Kachie shook her head as she placed a stack of the dishes on the counter next to him, "Ah, how true...but, specifically, what do we have to work with that doesn't involve pastries and ice-cream?" Keichiro laughed a bit.

"We've got turkey, chicken, steak, taco fixings, ground beef..." he trailed off, thinking. Then he grinned, "How about spaghetti and meatballs? I know that Shirogane-san doesn't mind it, and I certainly don't, how about you?"

Kachie's eyes lit up at the mention of spaghetti, "Keichiro-san, you've just said the magic words...I used to inhale spaghetti like it was a main food group...I think that Hekele-chan would like it as well!"

At this point, both of them were smiling and quite content with how things were turning out. Kachie couldn't wait to start her first official cooking lesson, and Keichiro couldn't wait to start teaching her. After a few minutes of silence, however, Keichiro began to feel a bit guilty as he watched Kachie continue to wash the dishes; he didn't want Kachie to think that she had to help him. It didn't matter how tired he was after work; he wouldn't shirk his self-proclaimed duties as her cooking teacher. He didn't want her to feel obligated...

"Kachie-chan? You don't have to do the dishes you know, it's quite all right for you to just sit and observe if you'd prefer it..." he said quietly, not wanting to offend her. Kachie only shook her head at his comment and kept working.

"That's ok Keichiro-san; I like helping you, and I honestly don't mind...or else I wouldn't do it..." she said honestly. Keichiro seemed to ponder this and nodded slightly.

"If you insist..." he said to her, putting a dirty pan in her sink purposefully. Kachie smirked at him, grabbed the pan, and began scrubbing.

"As a matter of fact, I did," she said, mimicking a conversation the two had engaged in before. Keichiro remembered the conversation as well and laughed once more.

"You certainly know how to throw things back at a person Kachie-chan..." he replied.

Kachie smiled at him and handed him the now clean pan, "I aim to please..." Keichiro smiled again and resumed fixing his meal orders. After twenty more minutes of comfortable silence, Pudding came into the kitchen brandishing a new order...atop her giant ball.

A giant ball and a medium-sized kitchen don't work together well...

Pudding's ball bumped into a cabinet corner, causing the said girl to lose her balance. She fell forward, right into a quite oblivious Kachie.

Kachie fell forward into the her sink, getting completely soaked. Keichiro hurriedly helped the girl out of the sink as Pudding began apologizing at a mile a minute. He patted her back gently and tried desperately to resist the urge to laugh. Kachie caught this, and looked at him with a rather hurt expression on her face.

Keichiro gave her a small smile as he grabbed a small dry towel and gently wiped the soap suds from her face, "Ne, it wasn't that funny Kachie-chan...don't worry, I wasn't laughing at your misfortune, only at the suds on your face..." He looked her over and sighed, looking at a very regretful Pudding.

"Now we know not to walk the ball into the kitchen, don't we?" he asked. Pudding nodded and darted out of the room, not wanting to get in trouble.

Keichiro sighed once more as his gaze met a very wet and perturbed Kachie. He smiled, "Perhaps you should get changed Kachie-chan..." Kachie sighed and motioned for the towel, which he gave to her. After wiping her face a few more times herself, she looked at him and smiled.

"It only got the collar of my shirt, I'm ok..." she said, getting back to her dishes diligently, completely ignoring her dripping and soapy hair.. Keichiro sighed and walked over to her. He took his apron off and gently put in on her instead. Kachie blushed a bit but smiled.

Keichiro looked at her and smiled once again, "There...now you won't ruin your brand new clothes...I have a feeling that before we close tonight, you're going to either get even more damp, or you'll end up covered in flour or something the next time Pudding-san bursts in here..."

Kachie paused for a moment as she rinsed off a plate, "Thanks, Keichiro-kun..."

Keichiro paused for a moment, strangely delighted at the '-kun' at the end of his name, before smiling back at her, "Anytime Kachie-chan..."

Hekele walked down the stairs to the basement cautiously. After two hours of shear boredom, she had asked Keichiro where Ryou was. She had been directed to the spooky stairs that led down to the basement. Hekele idly realized that she was quickly developing a fear of the dark.

When she reached the bottom, she slowly opened another door and poked her head inside. She saw a bunch of computers and lots of scientific equipment laying around, and eventually saw Ryou as well. He was hunched over one of the computers looking over what appeared to be stats. Upon closer inspection, Hekele realized that one side of the computer held _her _stats, and the other side held Kachie's.

Hekele froze dead in position. Why was Ryou looking at their stats? He sort of _was_ a scientist, even if he was only her age. Hekele felt a wave of fear wash over her; memories of her entire life flashed before her eyes: all the tests, all the experiments, all the observations, the poking and prodding, and then she remembered the tanks...

Hekele's breathing increased, and she began to grow dizzy. She didn't know what was happening to her, but she was glad that it wasn't happening while she was using her powers...she knew that she'd be up in flames if it had. She began to panic, but was frozen in place. Then she wasn't aware of anything.

Ryou heard something behind him and turned around, expecting it to be Keichiro. What he saw surprised him. Hekele was standing there, with her hand on her throat, breathing heavily. Concerned, Ryou jumped out of his chair and ran to her. She didn't seem to recognize his presence.

"Hekele? Hekele, answer me! What's wrong?" he asked. When he didn't get an answer or any recognition, he led her partially trembling form to one of the rolling chairs and sat her down. He pulled his chair up next to her and sat down facing her, wanting to know what the matter was. He idly realized that she was having a panic attack of some sort and raked his mind on what to do in this situation. He began stroking her back like he had done the previous night and tried to calm her down. After a good twenty minutes, her breathing became a bit more regular and her eyes looked a bit less distant than they had.

He tried again, "Are you all right now? What happened?" Hekele seemed to realize where she was and backed away from him.

"W-why were you looking at Kachie-chan's and my statistical information?" she asked accusingly, pointing at the computer screen.

Ryou looked at her, quite puzzled as to how _that _had triggered such a reaction out of her, before looking around a bit. After a moment, he understood her fear of what she had seen. She had been reminded of the base, and basically of her entire miserable life. She was afraid that they had turned on her and Kachie...

Ryou smiled as gently as he could at her, "No...it's not what I think your thinking. I'm just looking into an idea I had about how to help you and Kachie control your powers...and, mind you, I think I may be onto something...Let me show you..." He gently grabbed Hekele's wrist and attempted to pull her up. After a moment of hesitation, she complied. He led her to the computer with the stats and starting pointing things out.

"The girls have something we call Power Pendants to help them transform...you've seen them, right?" Hekele nodded and he continued, "What they do is allow the girls to access powers that, on most occasions, lay dormant in them. They also aid in controlling them. What I was thinking is: What if we made you and Kachie each a sort of reversed Power Pendant? What they would do is suppress your powers instead of luring them to the surface. That way, you would have complete control, with no chance of losing it. And, as you two gained more and more experience, we would lessen and lessen the amount of power being suppressed, until you would eventually not need them at all..." He spoke quietly and slowly, not wanting to sound like he may be lying.

Hekele seemed to calm down a bit, but didn't let it go completely. She still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else; something that Ryou wasn't telling her, and it made Hekele feel rather uneasy...

"Shirogane-san...what else were you using our stats for?" she asked firmly. She was surprised when she was graced with rather large smile.

"Why Hekele, you aren't easily fooled are you?" he asked. Hekele froze in her spot, not liking the smugness in his tone. Ryou felt her wrist tense and winced slightly; maybe playing with her head wasn't the best idea at the time...

He sighed, "I was joking Hekele; it was supposed to be a surprise for you and Kachie..." Hekele looked at him apprehensively, and Ryou smiled gently at her once more.

"We need your stats so that we can both make the pendants as efficient as possible, and so that we can make weapons that channel it properly...it was very difficult to calculate the power levels and abilities of the other girls; in fact, we found it impossible, so we had to resort to guess work. Using relatively new stats would speed the process up immensely..."

Hekele looked at him oddly, "What are you getting at Shirogane-san?"

Ryou's smile turned into a grin, "How would you and Kachie like to be Mew Mews?"

Kachie brought the plates of spaghetti to the table as quickly as Keichiro put it on them. She smiled to herself; it hadn't been that difficult to make the sauce from scratch, it had just taken patience. She had been pleasantly surprised by this revelation.

Keichiro watched her gracefully walk back and forth with the plates of hot spaghetti, and idly mused that she would make a decent waitress if the whole cooking thing didn't work out. He didn't think it would come to that though; she had proven herself to be a very fast learner, and a very competent student. He looked around the room and frowned. Ryou and Hekele were still in the basement. He had assumed that the aroma of food would have brought them upstairs, but it hadn't.

"Kachie-chan, let's go and see what's keeping those two...I figured they'd be up here by now..." he suggested. Kachie nodded and the two headed downstairs. When they got there, Keichiro opened the door for Kachie and the two peaked inside.

Ryou was sitting in his usual chair while he worked on the computer in front of him. He was putting in stats for something it appeared, and had a rather satisfied grin on his face. Hekele, on the other hand, was sitting in Keichiro's normal seat, both watching Ryou and rolling around back and forth.

Disappointed that he hadn't caught Ryou doing anything incriminating, (like speaking nicely to a human being for instance,) Keichiro opened the door the rest of the way and walked in. He was mere inches from Ryou's seat before either he or Hekele realized that they had company.

"Oh, hi Keichiro, café closed up already?" Ryou asked, not really that interested. Keichiro shook his head absently.

"Yes, and it has been for an hour, Shirogane-san...Kachie-chan and I have already made dinner as well," he informed the teenagers before him.

Ryou raised a curt eyebrow when Keichiro referred to Kachie as Kachie-_chan_, but shrugged it off as he stood up and stretched, "Ok...what did you make?" He watched as Hekele stood from her seat and walk up to the trio eagerly, and smirked slightly; she had been so bored...

Kachie smiled broadly, "Keichiro-kun and I made spaghetti and meatballs! Hurry up or it'll get cold!" Ryou raised another eyebrow at what she had called Keichiro but ignored it. People were allowed to have good friends once in a while and, apparently, these two were very good friends...

Ryou nodded to himself, "That sounds good to me...let's go eat..." He set the computer on Standby and started walking towards the stairs. Kachie and Keichiro followed, but Hekele stayed still for a moment.

"What are spaghetti and meatballs?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 4**

The past three days had been rather interesting. Keichiro and Kachie had been working together in the kitchen from breakfast until dinner time, only exiting for brief periods of time to get extra dishes, cooking supplies and ingredients, and dish soap. Whenever anyone appeared in the kitchen, the two could be seen talking and laughing with one another about almost anything; and the group found their fast friendship rather amusing...but no one had yet come to the same romantic conclusion that Mint had. She had been keeping watch over them secretly, while everyone else had yet to take their eyes off the other budding couple: Ryou and Hekele.

These two seemed to be moving a bit more slowly. They were hardly ever seen during the day; from as soon as after breakfast until dinner time, the two were in the basement, doing god knows what. However, whenever Keichiro or any of the girls checked in on the two, they always witnessed the same sight: Ryou toiling over a computer, and Hekele sitting in the other rolling chair staring at the computer screen from a distance and looking completely bored. This always annoyed whomever was spying, as it was very ordinary and not gossip-worthy. Once, the two had been seen talking to one another while Ryou was downloading results from who knows what, and they had been sitting next to one another, but that had to have been the most scandalous thing that the two had ever been caught doing...talking...and to say the least, Ichigo was getting very frustrated.

"Those two are so aggravating! They should have been showing more couple signs by now! I mean, they were moving so well the first two days!" she bellowed to the group as they closed up for the night on that Friday. Mint laughed at her.

"I warned you that it would take longer than a week! Cough up that twenty Ichigo!" she said superiorly. Ichigo wiggled her index finger from side to side, as if to say, 'no, no.'

"I have until Monday night at around 11:00pm, that was about the time that I made the prediction!" she said defensively. Mint looked around at the other girls, then at Ichigo, and grinned.

"Here, I'll give you until Tuesday at midnight for them to get together. As soon as the clock strikes twelve, I get that twenty of yours...deal?" she asked, sticking out her hand. Ichigo paused, knowing that if she refused, that she would be admitting defeat, but if she accepted, that she would be most likely dooming herself to lose her hard earned money.

Her dignity won.

"Fine, I accept!" Ichigo shook Mint's hand firmly as she said this, binding their agreement in front of all the Mew Mews. She knew she was doomed.

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Hekele wheeled around the basement floor without purpose, and Ryou sighed. He hadn't exactly been very conversational, but he had also been busy. He was quite surprised to find Hekele follow him downstairs every day and stay with him the entire time he was there. He also found it rather amusing, but he wouldn't admit that; he also wouldn't admit that he liked the company.

But Ryou was a curious one, "Why is it that you come down here Hekele? I mean, not to be rude or anything, but you just sit over there most of the time...is there a reason you follow me down here everyday?"

Hekele froze at his tone, was he annoyed with her? She didn't think that she had done anything wrong...but maybe being in the area while he worked distracted him? She sighed, she supposed that she was a bother, she never did try to help out around the place like Kachie had, but then, what could she do? Kachie just seemed to fit right in place in the kitchen...but Hekele hadn't found a little nook like that anywhere...no haven as of yet, so she had taken to following Ryou downstairs in a vain attempt at company, since everyone else was too busy working hard in the café...

She opened her mouth to speak, "I..." she paused, not knowing what to say; that she was lonely and selfish without her best friend around all the time to talk to? "...Never mind Shirogane-san...never mind..." She murmured that she was going upstairs for a snack, and disappeared, not looking up from the floor.

Ryou watched her go, pondering her reaction to his words, and merely shrugged. _She must have been bored down here...or maybe she thinks it's better than the bickering atmosphere of the cafe...I know I do..._ he thought to himself. He stretched once more and went back to work on the computer; he still had to try to design decent weapons for the two to use...and to put in the latest calculations into the formula for the reversed power pendants. It was difficult and tiring work...but it had to get done...

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Ichigo watched as Hekele opened the door to the basement and walked into the kitchen. The rest of the girls noticed too, and were a bit alarmed at her downcast expression. Kachie was the first to speak.

"Hekele-chan...are you all right? You seem down..." she asked. Hekele put on a smile and shook her head.

"No...I'm just tired, so I thought I'd take a nap...I'll see you two at dinner...and have a good, work-free weekend you five..." she said as she made her way out the door.

Everyone exchanged odd looks when she closed the door behind her. What was wrong with her? She seemed...sad...and Hekele hadn't seemed sad once since the little power incident after the group's big dinner and walk in the park on Monday night...

"Kachie-chan? Do you have any idea what's troubling her? She seems rather upset about something...and Hekele doesn't strike me as a sad person..." Keichiro said as he looked up at her from his stack of dishes. She stopped scrubbing hers and sighed, shaking her head.

"Not a clue...she was fine when she went down there this morning...and I haven't seen her since...I wonder what upset her..." she said from her sink. Ichigo's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Shirogane-san's the only person she's had human contact with all day...I think we need to pay him a visit down in that little hole of his..." she growled, all thoughts of the bet between Mint and herself forgotten. The rest of the Mews nodded to one another in agreement, and rushed downstairs to see what Shirogane-san had done; leaving Kachie and Keichiro to finish the dishes and the rest of the closing.

Keichiro sighed, "It was too much to ask for, to get done with everything _before _seven, wasn't it?" Kachie looked at the digital clock on the stove, which read 6:45pm.

"I guess so...dinner's going to be late tonight...I hope they don't anger Shirogane-san too much with their prying..." she said. Keichiro nodded.

"Knowing him, we'd all be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow just to open the cafe...even though we're supposed to be closed..."

Kachie rolled her eyes, "He better not...or I'll freeze his butt to that computer chair of his...and no, Keichiro-kun, I'm not joking..."

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"Hekele looks really down Shirogane-san...what did you do?" Ichigo asked for the tenth time. Ryou growled at her and answered, for the tenth time:

"I don't know! Jeez! All she told me was that she was going up there for a snack you baka strawberry!" Ichigo was about to yell at him again when Zakuro stopped her.

"Shirogane-san...she never grabbed a snack; she told us that she had been tired and was going to take a nap...but she did seem rather upset..." she said calmly. Ryou paused, long enough to calm down and listen to Zakuro. After she spoke, he only shrugged.

"Maybe she just was bored down here...and instead of getting a snack, she went to take a nap...no big deal," he said nonchalantly.

Seeing that they weren't getting anywhere with him, Mint sighed, "Fine, Shirogane-san, we'll leave you alone...but watch out for her over the weekend or we'll kick your butt..." she said. Pudding stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yeah na no da! And we'll do it Mew Mew style na no da!" she said as she bounced out of the basement.

Lettuce gave Ryou a sympathetic smile, "I'm sure that if you said something that ended up hurting her feelings, that it was by mistake, so I won't lecture you about anything...just...could you try to cheer her up a bit? It would make everybody feel better knowing that she was ok..."

Ryou gave her a tired, but honest smile, "I'll see what I can do...I think I know what happened, but I didn't want everyone to jump down my throat about it...so, keep that little tid-bit to yourself ok?" Lettuce smiled once more.

"Of course...and good luck."

Ryou looked at her as she left, and smiled a bit more, "Thanks for not attacking me Lettuce..." She stopped and turned around, still beaming.

"Thank me by cheering Hekele-san up..."

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"Hekele-chan? Are you in there?" Kachie asked as she knocked on Hekele's bedroom door. She heard movement within, and waited patiently to be let inside. When Hekele did open the door, she appeared no different than she had down in the kitchen.

"Yes, Kachie-chan? Is dinner ready or something?" she asked, moving to let her friend inside. Kachie shook her head and looked at Hekele's temporary bed; it didn't look like it had been used since she made it that morning.

"Are you feeling all right? You seemed a bit upset earlier...did Shirogane-san say something mean?" she questioned lightly. Hekele smiled and shook her head.

"No, no, of course not! I just felt tired and came up for a nap...I _was_ going to grab a snack, but changed my mind," she said, attempting to seem bright. Kachie narrowed her eyes in suspicion, much like Ichigo had earlier.

"But your bed doesn't look like you've napped in it..." she said accusingly. Hekele only shrugged.

"I slept on top...it's too warm to sleep under the covers in the afternoon, also, I figured that it would be a short nap, so I didn't feel like bothering..." she answered, trying to make Kachie to believe her. Not being able to argue with her friend's story, Kachie growled and rolled her eyes.

"Fine...Dinner'll be ready soon...we're having chicken...see ya down there..." she said apathetically. She walked out the door, gave Hekele a polite nod, and shut it. Hekele sighed.

_It really isn't a big deal...I just annoyed Shirogane-san a bit while he was working and felt bad about it...I hope they didn't get on his case too much about it..._

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Dinner was quiet. No one was really speaking to one another at all, except for Keichiro and Kachie, who kept trying to start conversations to make things more comfortable. It didn't really work too well though.

"Shirogane-san, what have you been up to down there? You seem to have locked yourself up more than usual..." Keichiro tried.

"..." was his only reply.

Keichiro sweat-dropped and turned to Hekele, "Hekele-san? Umm...I was thinking that tomorrow we could all go and pick out some more suitable bedroom furniture for Kachie-chan and yourself...how's that sound to you?"

"..." again, was his only reply.

Kachie shook her head as he shrugged in her direction, "Hekele, please pass me the garlic noodles..." Hekele's hand appeared in front of her with the bowl of noodles, but the girl said nothing. Kachie sighed.

_This is going to be difficult_...

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Ryou wandered up the stairs towards the livingroom; for some reason, television seemed like a good idea for once. He would have spoken to Hekele at dinner, but didn't really want to do it in front of Kachie and Keichiro, who were getting rather buddy-buddy lately. He still didn't know why they had become such good friends...and it wasn't like they would ever start dating or anything...

Ryou sat down on the couch and flipped through the channels. He would probably talk to Hekele the next day, after she had some time to herself, (Ryou had learned that when dealing with the female race, it was always better to give them time to get over whatever was troubling them a bit before approaching them about it.) He would probably suggest splitting up so that they could get done sooner, and then volunteer to team up with Hekele, while Keichiro went with Kachie...

_Yeah...that sounds like a decent idea...hope it works..._

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Kachie and Keichiro were cleaning up what was left of the mess from fixing dinner in the kitchen. Both were relatively quiet, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence like there had been at dinner; this silence was calming and content. But, like any other silence the two were involved in, it didn't last for long...

"So, Keichiro-kun, where are we going tomorrow to look at bedroom stuff?" Kachie asked. Keichiro looked up at her and shrugged as he mopped the floor; one of the girls had spilled something earlier and he hadn't seen it while closing up the shop.

"Oh...there are a few places that we could take you two...whichever one we feel like probably...you ok over there?" he questioned, seeing Kachie scrubbing the pot they had used to make the garlic noodles as though she were trying to scrape it down to the handle.

Kachie growled at the pan, "There is sauce stuck to this thing...and it won't come off! I let it soak in water first and everything!"

Keichiro laughed a bit before grabbing the dish soap and squirting a healthy amount into the pot, "Try that...the soap isn't as diluted...it might help..."

Kachie looked at him quizzically, but obeyed. Sure enough, the pot scrubbed clean, "That was _so _not fair...stupid pot..." Keichiro laughed at her antics once more and shook his head.

After a few more minutes of cleaning Kachie put her hands on her hips and started looking around the kitchen for something. Keichiro watched her curiously as she dug around for something that which he knew not of. Finally, she pulled out from a long forgotten, and rather dusty, drawer, an equally dusty radio.

She looked at Keichiro hopefully, "Can we listen to music while we clean?" Keichiro looked at her for a moment before completely losing his composure and laughing at her once more. Seeing her hurt expression, he was quick to explain his reaction.

"I'm sorry, Kachie-chan...you just randomly dropped what you were doing and went on a mad hunt for something, which rather confused me, and then came out of the dustiest cabinet we have with a radio, which is almost as filthy as you are right now..." he said, motioning to her dust covered hair and shirt, "Of course we can listen to music...it would probably make things go by faster anyway..." he consented. Kachie beamed at him and plugged in the radio. After searching for a decent station, (or music that she recognized from television,) for a few minutes, she finally found something and turned it up...

Keichiro watched as Kachie began dancing around the room and back towards her sink to finish what little was left of the dishes. He smiled to himself when she began humming the current tune that was blaring through the room. He had to admit, he liked her voice very much, and it seemed to harmonize well with the singer's.

Kachie looked up and caught Keichiro staring at her; she blushed and looked away. "I'm not that good am I?" she asked, though good-naturedly. Keichiro shook his head.

"You aren't bad at all! I was just thinking that your voice harmonized well with the singer's actually. You're too self-conscious..." he said, smiling at her as he did so. Kachie blushed once more, but smiled too.

"Well, would you rather have me be boastful and conceited?" she asked as she went back to her dishes. Keichiro chuckled as he finished mopping up the spill.

"Of course not Kachie-chan...I like you just the way you are, besides, I wouldn't want you to lower yourself to those standards...those are the standards of our customers..." he joked lightly. Kachie giggled and finished with the last of her dishes. She emptied the sink and walked over to where Keichiro was putting away the mop while she dried off her hands.

"So..." she said as she tossed the towel back in the sink as though she were a basketball player, "now what are we going to do? We've got nothing to do for the rest of the night, and other than furniture shopping tomorrow, we've got nothing to do all weekend...how are we going to pass the time? I mean...Hekele and Ryou don't seem to have made up from whatever disagreement they had...so...they won't be much fun..."

Keichiro ushered her out of the kitchen and offered his arm in a joking manner, "I'm not sure...maybe we can mend their broken friendship with a few hot-fudge sundaes...after we take a long deserved break from the kitchen..."

Kachie giggled lightly once more and lightly pushed his arm away playfully, "A master plan if I ever heard one...I'm going to go upstairs, take a three hour nap, and then sleep for the rest of the night after that..."

Keichiro chuckled once more, "I don't think so...If I have to possibly put up with those two giving each other the silent treatment, then so do you..." Kachie gave him a sad whimper, but he just shook his head.

"Nope...I'm not falling for it...you get to stay up and suffer with me..." he said as they made their way up the stairs. Kachie pouted a bit but said nothing.

When the two reached the entrance to the livingroom, they poked their heads inside to see if it was safe. Seeing no one, they happily walked in and crashed on the furniture; Keichiro in a Lazy Boy and Kachie on the couch. Keichiro flipped on the television and started channel surfing, much like Ryou had done earlier. After going through half the channels, he tossed the remote to Kachie, who, within seconds, had found Cartoon Network, on which was Adult Swim.

Keichiro groaned, "Don't tell me you're an anime freak..." Kachie grinned as _Inuyasha_, a show she had seen the two previous nights and rather enjoyed, came on.

"Ok...I won't tell you then..." she said slyly. Keichiro rolled his eyes and refrained from chucking a pillow at her, though he found it rather tempting when one of the characters groped another of them. When one of the female characters said the word 'sit,' causing another, rather arrogant, character with dog ears to fall flat on his face, Keichiro stole the remote from Kachie and flipped the channel.

"Hey...I was watching that..." she complained. When Keichiro only gave her one of his _very_ rare smirks, she glared at him. She then proceeded to quietly get up off of the couch and sneak around behind Keichiro's back while he wasn't paying attention.

As soon as he realized that she wasn't there, he began looking around curiously, making Kachie giggle. As soon as he turned around, having located the source of the noise, she jumped on him, knocking him onto the floor. She rolled off of him within less than a second, snatched the remote from his hand, and flipped the channel back to _Inuyasha_.

Rather stunned and confused by her actions, Keichiro reached over for the remote to try to take it from her. Seeing his movement, Kachie jumped up and backed up a bit, grinning at him in a teasing manner. Keichiro just looked at her skeptically.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, curious as to why he had been thrown from his chair.

Kachie only smiled at him, "'Cuz you stole the remote and changed the channel...you got what you deserved Keichiro-kun..." Keichiro blinked a few times, still a bit dazed, and resigned to shaking his head at her.

"Less than a week here and you've already become addicted to television..." he muttered. Kachie grinned and sat on the couch, quite pleased with herself. She watched the cartoon almost religiously, while Keichiro had to admit, once he was used to it, the show wasn't _too _bad...

When it was over with, Kachie dutifully tossed Keichiro the remote, having seen the show she wanted to see. Keichiro flipped through the channels and finally settled for a movie: X-Men.

Kachie watched it with interest; all those people had powers like Hekele, the Mews, and herself. She thought it was cool that they got to save the world, and idly remembered that the Mews did that all the time.

What troubled her, however, was how much everyone hated these people...just because they were different. Most of them had done nothing wrong...they were just...despised because they had something other people didn't. Would other people feel the same way if she and Hekele were discovered? Kachie looked at Keichiro, who was watching the movie. Did he and Ryou feel that way at all? Was it bad to be different?

Keichiro noticed how quiet Kachie was being, and looked over at her curiously, not wanting to get caught off guard again. What he saw was a sad expression on a very thought filled face. He stood up and sat next to her on the couch.

"Is there something troubling you Kachie-chan?" he asked. He caught Kachie's light blush and smiled a bit.

"It's nothing really...I mean...it's just a part of the movie that made me think...that's all..." she consented. Keichiro looked at the television for a moment before catching onto what she was saying.

"...You're worried that Hekele-san and yourself won't fit in if you're discovered...that you'll be shunned...is that it?" he asked gently. Kachie gave a small sigh, and nodded.

"Yea...I mean, even though this is just a movie...it's very possible...isn't it?" she asked, though it came out as more of a statement. Keichiro sighed, and nodded.

"...Yes...it is actually what would most likely happen...that's why the Mew Mews keep their identities secret...most people are so closed-minded that they can't see outside of the normal without despising it..." he said. Kachie's eyes watered with a few tears.

"You and Shirogane-san don't feel that way right? I mean...the Mews are one thing...but Hekele-chan and I aren't even human..." she said, letting one or two of the tears fall.

Strangely disturbed by her tears, Keichiro pulled her into a friendly hug, "No...of course we don't feel that way...we knew exactly who you were when we went to save you from the base...we didn't care...and the two of you are as human as the next person...all right? Don't let this possibility get to you." Kachie nodded into Keichiro's shoulder and he released her so that he could get a good look at her face. Kachie offered him a small smile.

"Thanks Keichiro-kun...that helps a lot..." she said. Keichiro smiled at her warmly and leaned back on the couch, facing the television.

"That's good...we don't need any unnecessary rifts between us like Hekele-san and Shirogane-san do..." he said. Kachie giggled a bit and shook her head. She curled up on her end of the couch and laid her head on the armrest. Within fifteen minutes, she was sound asleep.

Half an hour later, when the movie was finished, Keichiro looked over at Kachie to tell her to go to bed, (since Ryou and Hekele had obviously gone to bed long before hand and Keichiro wanted to turn in himself,) when he noticed that she had fallen asleep. He smiled to himself as he looked her over; she really looked peaceful while she slept, and calm. He sighed to himself, stood up, and stretched. He looked at her one more time and thought for a moment before acting.

He went into her bedroom and pulled back the covers to the foot of her bed, and then returned for her; he didn't want to deal with trying to get her under the covers while she was already in his arms, it just wasn't practical. He picked her up gently, supporting her head with his shoulder and carefully carried her into her room. He placed her on her bed as softly as he could, not wanting to wake her, and lightly tucked her in.

He looked at her for a moment longer before heading towards the door, "Goodnight Kachie-chan; sweet dreams..."

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Ryou sat at the computer and typed away, rather annoyed. After everyone had eaten breakfast, Hekele hadn't followed him downstairs like she usually did. He was sulking slightly, but he refused to say anything to betray this.

_So...it **is** what I said that bothered her...I was just curious, she didn't have to get all bent out of shape about it...It wasn't suppose to make her mad..._ Ryou thought to himself as he continued working. She had barely even said good-morning to him, but she was all cheery around Keichiro and Kachie. Somehow, for some unknown reason, this bothered Ryou a bit.

"Shirogane-san?" Keichiro said, poking his head into the room. Ryou wheeled around to look at him.

"What's up?" he asked. Keichiro gave him a look.

"We're getting ready to leave to go pick out furniture for their rooms...you didn't forget did you?" he questioned. Ryou shook his head to clear it a bit.

"Sorry, no, I didn't forget, I just wasn't thinking about it...I'll be up in a minute..." he said. Keichiro nodded in confirmation and headed back upstairs.

Ryou sighed to himself as he began shutting down the computers, "Let's hope she's not still mad at me..."

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"So, what interests you?" Kachie was too busy blinking at all the different furniture in the giant showroom to actually hear Keichiro's question. She just kept looking around as though she were intimidated by all the stuff, completely spaced out. Keichiro realized this and laughed at her, jabbing her in the ribs lightly.

"There's a lot of furniture to chose from isn't there? Why don't we walk around a bit; maybe you'll find something sooner than if you just stand here..." he said lightly, motioning towards a decently sized cluster of bedroom displays.

Ryou watched the two with mild amusement, noticing rather quickly how relaxed and outgoing Keichiro seemed while around Kachie, and how intrusive she appeared around him most of the time. He idly wondered if perhaps Kachie had a small crush on Keichiro, but brushed the thought away. Kachie, though very mature and sweet, also had a rather childish side to her, and this was probably just one of those moments...

Ryou then glanced at Hekele; it was now or never, "Hekele, would you like to go over here instead? We'll cover more of the store if we split up, and we can meet up with them later on..." He said it as carelessly as he could...there was no use in letting everyone else know why he wanted to split up...

Hekele smiled, "Sure! And if we find something that Kachie-chan would like, we can let those two know when we meet up with them!" Ryou paused for a moment. He had assumed that Hekele would have been a bit harder to persuade, but she didn't appear angry with him in the least...

"Umm...ok. Keichiro, we'll meet up with you two later..." he said, turning to face the man, but when he looked, he noticed that both Keichiro and Kachie had already gone on ahead. Shrugging, he motioned for Hekele to turn left in that aisle and the two proceeded on their own expedition.

Ryou, after about fifteen minutes of checking out displays, decided to speak, "So...are you still mad at me?" Hekele paused, and looked at him oddly.

"Why would I be mad at you Shirogane-san? You didn't do anything wrong..." she said, genuinely confused. Ryou mimicked her look, though not purposely.

"Well, you've practically been ignoring me and avoiding me since last night, so I assumed that you were angry with me over something, though what I have no clue..." he said, lying partially. Hekele seemed to ponder this, and offered a small smile.

"I'm sorry...I thought you wanted me to..." she said honestly. Ryou looked at her skeptically.

"Why would I want that? It wasn't that it bothered me or anything, but you suddenly ignoring me for no apparent reason _was _a bit irksome..." he stated, still trying to save face. Hekele merely shrugged at him.

"Well, the way you sounded when you asked me why I always hung around in the basement with you...made it appear as though you really didn't want me there, so I left, and tried to give you space...I assume I can be rather annoying, seeing as I don't help out in the café like everyone else and just sit there doing nothing all day..." she offered truthfully. Ryou stopped walking and stared at her.

"You honestly think that I find you annoying? Hekele, if I found you annoying, I'd make sure your life was little less than an aggravating hell, even ask Ichigo, I find her VERY annoying most of the time...and I also didn't mean for you to take my question that way; I was genuinely curious as to why you followed me downstairs everyday and remained there, despite how bored I could tell you were," he replied, this time being completely true to his thoughts.

Hekele blushed a bit, "So...you don't find it annoying that instead of helping out I just sit on my bottom all day and stare at a computer screen trying to make sense of whatever's on it?"

Ryou shook his head a bit, "Only that you didn't answer my question yesterday..."

Hekele sighed, and blushed a bit more, "Well...I suppose it's partially because I enjoy your presence...you're always calm and collected, and have put up with me since you saved us..."

"Put up with you? Don't make me laugh...there's nothing to put up with. You're a rather thoughtful girl, and your reaction to what you thought I meant proves it. And trust me, when you get to know me, I can guarantee that my presence will be anything but enjoyable...So, what's the other part of this reason of yours?" he asked, lightly nudging her with his elbow to lighten her up a bit.

Hekele smiled a bit at his antics, but it quickly faded, "I...don't really fit in anywhere. Kachie-chan and the kitchen seem to go hand-in-hand, and I don't want to try to fit in there too; it wouldn't be her place anymore...and she seems to work very well with Keichiro-san as well; you know what they say, 'three's a crowd...' As for being a waitress; I'm not too comfortable around people yet...well, ones I don't know anyway..." She looked at the ground as if in shame as she spoke.

Ryou looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out the best thing to say, and how to say it, "Well, until you think you've found out where you fit in...you're welcome to be bored in the basement with me while I work on the computers..."

Hekele looked up at him then, "Really? You don't mind?"

Ryou shook his head nonchalantly, "Nah...if you want, I could show you how they work too, then maybe you could help me instead of sitting there and doing nothing."

Hekele smiled suddenly, realizing that Ryou was giving her somewhere to belong, and hugged him, "Thank you Shirogane-san! That sounds perfect!"

Ryou stood there awkwardly, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks; he hadn't expected her to get so happy about it...or hug him, "Umm...no problem...I guess...hey, let's look at some furniture now." He patted her on the back a few times, and was a bit relieved when she released him. Hekele smiled at him once more and nodded, but paused when she saw his face.

"Shirogane-san? Are you feeling all right? Your face is turning a bit red..." she said. Ryou blushed a bit more at her question, and looked away so that she couldn't see it.

"I'm fine; let's just get this thing over with..." he retorted, wanting to get _off _of the current subject. Hekele only shrugged and started walking around once more, looking for a furniture set that she liked. Ryou sighed, a bit thankful that she had dropped her comment. He became lost in his own thoughts as he watched her take a closer look at one of the displays.

_What the hell was that all about? Since when to **I** blush? It was just a hug from an overly excited pipsqueak... _He watched as she sat on one of the beds and looked around at the furniture curiously, as though not sure what to think. _All right, a rather cute pipsqueak, but still, just a pipsqueak..._

Ryou was snapped from his thoughts when Hekele looked directly at him and smiled, "I like this one Shirogane-san! What do you think?" Ryou looked over the set critically; it was made entirely of cherry wood. The bed was a canopy bed, and there was a dresser and a vanity set to match, along with a very nice looking desk and chair. Unbeknownst to Hekele, cherry wood didn't come cheap. Ryou looked at the price and nearly grinned; it was on clearance to make room for more stuff. Clearance is good.

Ryou offered Hekele a pleasant smile, "Whatever you say Tweedy Bird..."

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Keichiro watched as Kachie plopped onto yet another bed, and had to stop himself from laughing when, instead of bouncing back up a bit, her body just stayed there and made a little noise that sounded suspiciously like, 'ouch.'

Kachie got off the bed and scowled at it, "That bed is _way_ too hard...no bounce at all..." Keichiro chuckled a bit then and walked up to her, shaking his head a bit.

"You remind me a bit of Goldilocks...picky, picky, picky..." he said. Kachie pouted a bit and then wandered to the next display that captured her fancy. To most men, or people for that matter, Kachie's antics would be considered annoying: she would hop on a bed, and either sink so far into it that she could hardly get out, or it be as though she had landed on a brick; then she would go to the next display she liked and did the same thing; and then she repeated the process all over again. Keichiro, however, found her innocence quite endearing. He enjoyed it immensely to be honest; her free spirit and untamed nature made her quite fun to be with.

He watched as she made a face and struggled to get off of the bed; it was apparently too 'squishy' for her taste. She then proceeded to climb onto yet another bed, and froze instantly. Keichiro rolled his eyes, trying once more to contain his amusement.

"What's wrong with _this_ one?" he asked jokingly. Kachie's only response was flopping back onto the bed so that she was laying on it fully. After a moment of this, she scanned the rest of the display, (an armoire and a desk,) critically before speaking.

"...This is _just_ right..." she said as she closed her eyes happily. Keichiro smiled at her satisfied expression and sat on the bed next to her.

"You like this one?" he asked. She grinned as she opened her eyes.

"Yup! This one feels perfect! And I like the rest of the furniture too!" she replied. Keichiro smiled warmly at her once more before getting off the bed. He extended his hand to help her up as he spoke.

"Well then, let's go talk to someone about purchasing this for you; up, up now..." he said. Kachie took his hand and he pulled her up off the bed and onto her feet, causing her to giggle and blush slightly. Keichiro only smiled a content smile at her reaction and led her to the nearest salesperson to do business.

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Ryou and Hekele peered at Keichiro and Kachie from behind a large bookshelf curiously. They had just made the arrangements with a salesperson of their own for Hekele's bedroom set and had set off to find their friends. When they found them, they were in a rather...cute situation. Kachie was lying on one of the beds and Keichiro was sitting next to her and smiling as the two spoke briefly. He then had stood up and helped her off the bed as well. Both Hekele and Ryou noticed Keichiro's smile widen when Kachie blushed a bit and giggled at him. Both of them were all smiles as they looked around for a salesperson to talk to...

Hekele looked at Ryou quizzically, "Is it just me, or does it appear that Kachie and Keichiro are...'crushing' on one another a bit?" Ryou looked at her oddly for a moment before shaking his head.

"Don't use the terminology that the Mews use...it's a bit annoying...and yes...it looks that way to me too...hmmm..." he replied thoughtfully, an almost sinister idea beginning to form in his mind.

Hekele looked at him suspiciously, "Shirogane-san, what does that look mean? You are giving off a rather disagreeable vibe with that expression of yours..." Ryou only smirked.

"...I think the Mews have gotten to me..._seriously _gotten to me...but why don't we play cupid and get those two together...it'll at least pass the time..." he said. Hekele looked him over more critically.

"And what would that do for you? You don't seem the type to do something like this unless it would benefit you..." she questioned. Ryou only shrugged.

"If we don't do it, the Mews will figure it out, and I feel like beating them to the punch and making them look bad by getting the two together first..." he said callously. Hekele only rolled her eyes.

"You are rather odd Shirogane-san...utterly brilliant, but odd..." she stated firmly. Ryou gave her a sugary smile.

"And the same is true of you Tweedy Bird...except the 'utterly brilliant' part..."

"Stop calling me that!"

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Keichiro laughed as a sulking Hekele told him of Ryou's new nickname for her. Kachie was in the storeroom getting some stuff to make dinner, and Hekele had decided to visit the two in the kitchen when she began her little tirade over the nickname. It took Keichiro a minute before he was able to explain to the annoyed girl that Tweedy was a famous cartoon bird who was very smart, both innocent and mischievous, and a bit wacky. Hekele still seemed a bit sour even after he told her that Tweedy always triumphed over the cat that always tried to eat him.

"Hekele-san, Shirogane-san only gives nicknames to those that mean a lot to him; he calls Ichigo-san 'baka-strawberry' all the time, you know that. Though the name may seem offensive, do you see any of the girls besides yourselves with a nickname?" he offered. Hekele looked a bit stumped.

"Well...no...I don't...but still...he's the one who picked out my name, shouldn't he above anyone else use it?" she asked. Keichiro only smiled as he sat at the table and faced her.

"Yes...he gave you your name...but that name is what everyone calls you; a nickname, such as 'Tweedy Bird' is a name that he knows that only _he_ would end up calling you...something just between the two of you. That's what most nicknames are...some are used by other friends and sometimes even family...but most nicknames are names that only one person calls you," he explained. Hekele paused a moment as she took in the information. After a moment of contemplating, she decided that it made some sense...sort of...but why did Ryou want to give her a nickname?

Hekele then cocked her head to the side a bit in wonder, "Well, since he gave me a nickname, does that mean that I have to give him one too?" Now, Keichiro _could _have been nice; he _could _have been a perfect angel like he usually was and explain to Hekele that nicknames weren't always a personal thing like he had apparently implied that they were, and that they were usually a casual and spur of the moment sort of thing. Keichiro, however, felt like playing cupid himself...and he also felt like having something to tell the Mews about on Monday when they came back to work...

"Well...you don't _have_ to give him a nickname, but usually, friends will in this situation. It shows that you feel the same level of friendship..." he said, as seriously as he could. Hekele caught something off in his tone, however, and glowered at him.

"Why is it that I get the distinct feeling that you are pulling my leg Keichiro-san?" she questioned. Keichiro sweat-dropped and hung his head.

"What gave me away?" he asked, looking back up at her. Hekele smiled at him then.

"Your tone of voice mostly..." then she offered him a small glare, "Were you making fun of me?"

Keichiro shook his head and spoke honestly, "No, I wasn't...I just wanted to annoy Shirogane-san a bit...and I think a nickname would get to him..." Keichiro sighed to himself; so much for playing cupid. She'd figured him out...

Hekele, however, grinned once more, "I'm feeling adventurous; what nickname should I give him? This little plan of yours actually sounds fun..." Keichiro nearly had to do a double take at Hekele's mischievous grin.

_When these two finally get together...Ryou's going to have his hands full with her...I can tell already..._

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Ryou was typing away at the computer when he heard the door open. The light and barely audible steps made it clear to him who had entered the room without him even having to turn around. He kept on typing, trying to figure out the formula for the reverse power pendants, which were proving a bit more complicated than he had anticipated.

"What's up Tweedy Bird? Is dinner done up there yet?" he asked, still looking at the computer screen. Hekele only smirked at him a bit from behind.

"Nope, they're still working on it, Sylvester..." she said nonchalantly, mimicking Ryou almost perfectly.

Ryou almost cringed at the name she had given him, "Keichiro...I swear...I'm gonna kill him...let me guess...he told you who Sylvester was?" Hekele shook his head.

"Nope, he told me that calling you by a nickname would probably annoy you, and he apparently felt like annoying you, so he told me to call you that..._then_ he told me that Sylvester was the cat that always chases Tweedy around and gets his butt kicked..." she reported in an almost militant manner. Ryou shook his head in disbelief.

"I think he's acting loony...and that's really saying something for Keichiro...he never used to act so...oddly..." he said. Hekele sat in the chair next to his and faced him.

"Maybe Kachie-chan got to him..." she said matter-o-factly. Ryou rolled his eyes, but nodded nevertheless.

"Probably...so, about how much longer until dinner is ready?" he asked. Hekele shrugged.

"Keichiro-san said that it would probably be another fifteen minutes," she said, now also staring at the computer screen. Ryou looked at her now and grinned.

"Perfect...you know, you make a pretty good double-agent Tweedy Bird..." he said. Hekele smiled proudly.

"So...when are we going to put the plan into action?" she asked him. Ryou grinned.

"I'll go upstairs now, you remember the number right?" he asked as he made his way to the door. Hekele nodded.

"Yup! Just don't blow it with bad acting Sylvester."

Ryou stopped at the door and looked back at her, "How long are you going to call me that?" Hekele only smiled at him.

"Until I think of something better..." she said playfully. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Think fast Tweedy Bird," he said, throwing her his cell phone. Hekele caught it with ease and smirked triumphantly, sticking her tongue out at Ryou childishly. Ryou only smirked at her and made his way upstairs.

_Showtime..._

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"Well, well, well, if it isn't Sylvester..." Keichiro said as Ryou made his way into the kitchen. Ryou glared at him as Kachie began snickering from the stove.

"I will get even with you...make no mistake Keichiro..." he said in a deadly serious tone. Keichiro only chuckled and sat down at the table.

"Is that the only reason you've torn yourself from the basement? To threaten me?" he asked, completely unfazed by the threat. Ryou was about to say something else when the phone rang.

Ryou, being the closest, picked it up, careful to hide his smirk from Keichiro, "Hello?"

"_Told you I remembered the number Sylvester..._" Hekele said quietly on the other end of the phone.

Ryou had to refrain from making some sort of snide remark, "Yes, this is Ryou Shirogane speaking..."

"_Try sounding a bit more annoyed and a bit less hostile..._"

"What do you mean there was a problem with the paper work?" he asked, watching Keichiro and Kachie out of the corner of his eye.

"_Mmmm, a bit better, but you still sound like you want to kick my butt from here to Kyoto and back..._" Hekele taunted.

"Fine, I'll be there in a few minutes to clear it up...this better not mean it'll take longer to deliver the stuff..." he said, attempting to take Hekele's taunting without losing his cool.

"_Perfect, I'll be up there in a minute...Phase one complete..._" the phoenix said as she hung up the phone. Ryou had the distinct impulse to whack her in the back of the head when she appeared, but opted to go through with the plan instead and hung up the phone.

"What was that all about Shirogane-san?" Kachie asked. Ryou used his annoyance to his advantage.

"There's a problem with the paperwork or something like that with the stupid furniture. I think they wrote down the credit card info wrong...idiots..." he groused. Keichiro sighed.

"And you're going over there to clear it up?" he asked. Ryou nodded.

"But you'll miss dinner...it's almost ready too..." Kachie complained. Ryou shrugged.

"Might as well do it now and hope they can still deliver it tonight," he said. Kachie and Keichiro sighed in unison, which would have been humorous at any other moment probably. It was then that Hekele chose to come upstairs.

"Can I come too Sylvester?" she asked candidly. Ryou glowered at the use of the nickname but nodded.

"If you promise not to call me Sylvester for the rest of the night...then sure, what the hell, you can come..." he said. Kachie pouted and Keichiro rolled his eyes.

"Just hurry back..." he said as both Ryou and Hekele headed for the door.

Once the two were gone, Keichiro looked back at Kachie and sighed, "You know, thirty minutes wouldn't have killed them..." Kachie smiled a bit as she poured some of the beef stew from the giant pot on the stove into a bowl. She then placed it on the table and proceeded to do the same with another bowl.

"Well, there's more for us either way, right Keichiro-kun?" she said, trying to make light of their friends' absence from the dinner table. Keichiro chuckled and nodded in approval.

"I say we eat it all and tell them touch luck; how does that sound to you?" he asked. Kachie nodded as she set the other bowl down and sat at the table.

"That sounds perfect; at least they'll learn not to skip dinner..." she said. The two began eating, and after a moment or so, idly picked up conversation.

"Next time we'll add more bouillon to it to make the broth a bit thicker, ok Kachie-chan, it'll add a bit more flavor to it as well..."

"This isn't too bad though, I mean, as far as thickness goes; it could have come out worse you know..." she replied. Keichiro nodded a bit.

"True, but I think that it'd still be better if it were thicker..." he said. Kachie merely shrugged and took another bite.

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Two sets of blue eyes were peering through the window at Keichiro and Kachie as they continued to eat and quietly converse over simple things without much interest. After about five minutes, Ryou rolled his eyes and ducked his head down; when he was not immediately joined by Hekele, he lightly tugged her down onto her butt as well. He couldn't help the perturbed look that crossed his face at their friends.

Hekele cocked her head to the side a bit, gathering her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, "What's wrong Shirogane-san? Why the look?"

Ryou just shook his head, "Those two are mind boggling; one minute they look like they're about to kiss and the next they act like regular friends that are annoyed with someone..."

Hekele suppressed a giggle, but smiled at Ryou, "Shirogane-san, it'll take them time. We've only just noticed they way they look at one another, but I'm sure they haven't even thought about it yet; they are still working in the mind-set that they are friends, and must acknowledge that they feel otherwise before they can move to the step to forming a different relationship..."

Ryou looked at her oddly for a moment before shaking his head; he motioned for her to follow him and the two silently crept away from the windows. When they were far enough away, they stood up and dusted themselves off. Ryou checked his pocket to make sure he had his wallet, and started walking down the driveway. Hekele looked at him curiously before running to catch up with him.

"Where are you going Shirogane-san? We aren't going to spy?" she asked. Ryou shook his head and lightly grabbed her wrist.

"I happen to know that there is a carnival in town, and _we_ are going to go and check it out. I figure that we can get away with being gone for an hour, and that's plenty of time to get on a few rides..."

Hekele froze in her place, causing Ryou to stumble ahead of her as he still had her wrist, "Rides? What are rides Shirogane-san? And why does the mention of rides coming from you scare me?"

Ryou stared at her blankly for a moment before speaking, "You're just full of it aren't you Tweedy Bird? Less than one week out in the world and you've already got tons of it..."

Hekele graced him with a very confused look, "Full of what, Shirogane-san?"

Ryou grinned at her as he gently began pulling her once more towards the carnival, "Women's intuition; it's the way you just know things, like that I had an ulterior motive for using your stats, how you seem to know what it takes for a relationship to form and the feelings involved _despite _the fact that you've never been in one, and how you seem to know when I'm dabbling in mischief..."

Hekele smiled a bit, "Like now?" Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Rides aren't a _bad_ thing...they can just be scary sometimes...if you're scared of heights and things like that anyway; once you get used to them, they're actually pretty fun," he defended himself. Hekele giggled and shook her head.

"I wonder what makes me more uneasy; you trying to defend yourself or your idea of fun..." she joked. Ryou jabbed her in the ribs lightly with his elbow.

"What's wrong with me having fun?"

Hekele just shrugged, but still held a defiant smirk on her face, "I get the feeling that you having fun is a danger to my well-being...is that my women's intuition again?"

Ryou gave chase to the girl as she broke away from him in a sprint. Hekele yelped as she realized that she was being chased and ran faster. This made Ryou pick up speed as well, knowing that the girl would get herself lost if she ran off too far. Also, he was having fun; who knew that Ryou would consider chasing a child-like girl around town blindly, fun?

It took him about two blocks of hard running, but Ryou finally caught up to her. It took him about thirty seconds more before he could actually catch her. When he finally got his arms around her waist to stop her, an odd feeling came over him. It's much like what the Coyote would feel if he ever caught the Roadrunner...what next? After all that time of running, scheming, plans gone wrong, more running, and more scheming; one forgets the original purpose of all of the above, and once they reach their unattainable goal, they have no clue what to do now that they have gotten past it.

Ryou snapped out of his thoughts for a moment and tried to catch his breath, "Maybe I should call you Roadrunner instead of Tweedy Bird..." Hekele let out an exasperated laugh as she too tried to catch her breath.

"Nah...the Coyote never catches the Roadrunner...and you caught me...so I don't think that'd work out too well..." she said between breaths. Ryou chuckled a bit himself.

"Ah, so you've seen _that_ cartoon have you?" he reasoned. Hekele nodded a bit, she had seen the cartoon that morning actually.

After a few more deep breaths, Ryou idly realized that he still had a hold of her and awkwardly let her go. The two of them stood there for a moment, trying to catch their breath, before Ryou grabbed her wrist delicately once more and lightly pulled her along the path towards the carnival.

He couldn't help but smile a little as Hekele graced him with a curious look. "Would you consider that," he began, looking at her with a barely noticeable twinkle in his eyes, "a danger to your well-being?"

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Kisshu watched the pair from above with a devilish smirk on his face. One of the new girls and one of the Mews' friends were going to a carnival all alone were they? This was an interesting development.

"I wonder how much havocwe can wreak with their little informant and his new girlfriend out and away from their computers? Pai? Taruto? What do you think?" he asked. Behind him, a slightly taller alien with short purple hair appeared, and next to him, a very short and much younger alien with short brown hair appeared as well.

"Sounds like fun to me Kisshu! Let's get moving!" Taruto, the smaller one, said mischievously. Kisshu turned to the taller, quieter one.

"Pai?" he asked. Pai gave a slight smirk.

"Let's choose our candidate for the Chimera Anima...and as the humans say, 'get this show on the road.'"


	5. Chapter 5

**Fire and Ice: Chapter Five**

To my readers and reviewers: I am sorry that I haven't updated. I have an Inuyasha story as well, and those reviewers are just more demanding...and that story is farther along too. So, I update this story _after _I update that story...ok? But just so you know. I do not drop stories...I just plum refuse to do it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing besides Hekele and Kachie

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Ryou gently continued to pull Hekele along the sidewalk until they reached the carnival. Ryou then led her over to the ticket booth and bought wrist bands for both of them. Hekele looked at her oddly and Ryou explained.

"These wrist bands mean that we're allowed on as many rides as we want; it's more convenient than holding onto a bunch of ride tickets and having to keep count," he said. Hekele nodded a bit to show that she understood and allowed Ryou to drag her to the first ride that looked entertaining. Well, the first ride _he_ thought looked entertaining...

It was a giant ride that went in circles vertically. There was a place for seating, which was surrounded by a cage-like top, and the seats had harnesses on them so that the passengers didn't fall out. Hekele, having never been on a ride that went upside down, or _any_ ride for that matter, froze in her spot.

"Shirogane-san..." she said warily. Ryou rolled his eyes at her, but remained gentle.

"It's safe Tweety Bird...I promise...now come on. If you don't try this ride then you probably won't try the other ones..." he stated honestly. Hekele groaned a bit but allowed Ryou to drag her onto the ride. He showed her how to fasten the harness and the two waited for the ride to start. Poor Hekele...

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"Shirogane-san...I didn't like that ride...Can we go home now?"

"Calm down Tweety Bird. You did fine...Here, I'll take you on a calmer one next...I promise..."

"You promise? You promised that the last ride would be safe!"

"It _was_ safe!"

Ichigo and Masaya had been getting a drink when they had heard the two bickering. Ichigo herself was now crouching in the bushes near the pair and was snapping pictures with her picture phone. After a moment of this, she snuck back to her boyfriend and showed them to him.

"Why is it that you took these again?" Masaya asked, honestly confused. Ichigo smiled.

"Because Mint-san and I have a bet going on that the two will be a couple by Monday night...midnight to be exact...and I feel like rubbing it in her face that they are alone at a carnival together...which _can _be considered a date...though Shirogane-san would deny it with all of his being..." she explained. Masaya shook his head at the girl, but smiled warmly at her.

"Why don't we go over there and talk to them? Perhaps make this a sort of double date?" he asked her. Ichigo grinned.

"Let's give them another few minutes alone...but after that, sure! It sounds like fun...Can I call Mint real quick?" she asked. Masaya nodded and Ichigo dialed Mint's phone number.

"**Hello?"**

"Hiya Mint-san! Guess where I am?"

"**At the carnival on your date with Aoyama-san, and what's with the honorific ending?"**

"Oh, nothing...I'm sending you some pictures...you might want to take a look at them..." Ichigo thensent the pictures, and after a few seconds, Mint's screech came through the phone.

"**What are those two doing there!"**

"They are here, all alone...and Shirogane-san is taking her on rides...In fact, right now he's conning her into going on the gravity one..."

"**This means nothing..."**

"It looks like they're on a date to me..."

"**...They probably just got bored..."**

"So? It's still a step in the direction of 'couple'...bye-bye Mint! I'll send you more pictures!" And before Mint could retort, Ichigo hung up her phone and looked at Masaya.

"Let's talk to them when they get off this ride...it'll be entertaining when Shirogane-san can't come up with a way around the 'Why are you two here alone' question..."

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"That was definitely _not _calmer Shirogane-san..." Hekele muttered as she and Ryou got off the gravity ride. There were no harnesses, or seatbelts; just you, a narrow table/mattress thing to lay on, a bunch of other people, and lots and lots of spinning. True, it was perfectly safe, as Hekele had discovered, but her head was spinning faster than she could handle...and walking was nearly impossible. Ryou, however, was unaffected, except by one thing...

"Why are you grabbing my arm for dear life, Tweety Bird?" he asked, noting that his circulation felt like it was about to be cut off.

"Because I can't see straight let alone _walk _straight right now Shirogane-san; deal with it!" she commanded, tightening her hold on his arm to enforce her point. Ryou only shrugged.

"Just don't hold on so tight...I think my arm's about to fall off..." he said. Hekele obediently loosened her hold on his arm and Ryou breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but didn't shake her off.

After a few minutes of walking, Hekele noticed a ride that caught her fancy, "Shirogane-san? What about that ride? It looks slow...and safe..." Ryou turned his head to where she was pointing; the Ferris Wheel. Ryou looked at it critically for a moment before sighing. He wasn't really a fan of Ferris Wheels, but then again, he _had _purposely dragged Hekele on two of the rougher rides...

"What the hell; why not...I just hope you're not scared of heights Tweety Bird..." he teased gently. Hekele narrowed her eyes at him slightly, and was about to say something back when they heard a familiar voice.

"Well, well, aren't you two cute..." It was Ryou's turn to freeze. It was Ichigo, and Ichigo wouldn't go to a carnival alone...and that meant that-

"Hello, Shirogane-san, it's good to see you." Masaya greeted politely, holding out his hand. Ryou twisted his face into a smile and shook his hand.

"Likewise Aoyama..." he said politely, but internally, he loathed Masaya. Masaya had Ichigo, and Ryou still wasn't quite over her...

Masaya, however, was oblivious to all of the above, and turned to Hekele, "And you must be Hekele, the phoenix? I'm Aoyama Masaya." Hekele blushed a bit and nodded, shaking his hand as well. Ryou's eyes narrowed slightly at this, and he had the distinct urge to pull Hekele away, but he wasn't quite sure why.

"A pleasure to meet you Aoyama-san," Hekele said politely, but upon seeing the look Ryou was sporting, she didn't speak further.

Ichigo cut the silence happily, "And what might you two be doing at a carnival? Where are Kachie-san and Keichiro-san?" Ryou, realizing what this looked like, paled a bit.

"They're back home. We got bored and I remembered that there was a carnival in town..." he started, but Ichigo only smiled.

"Awe, so you're here alone are you? How sweet..." she stated smoothly. True, Ryou was her boss; true, Ryou controlled her paycheck; and true, Ryou would later retaliate for the humiliation, but Ichigo was one step ahead. Ryou knew she was the only Mew who got the job done at the café, he knew that she was already being payed minimum wage, so he couldn't reduce her income, and finally, she could take anything that Ryou could dish out...she's already used to his badgering...and as annoying as it was, she could handle it. Well, at least she _hoped _so...

Ryou's cheeks flushed slightly, and then he noticed that Hekele still had a hold of his arm. He blushed a bit more and pulled out of her grasp swiftly, but smoothly. Hekele stood there awkwardly, her arms still in their original position, before slowly dropping them to her sides. She looked at Ryou oddly for a moment, a bit of hurt in her eyes. Ryou looked away from her then and faced Ichigo and...Masaya.

"So...you two are on a date huh? Been on many rides yet?" he asked, deciding to strike up a conversation. Ichigo shook her head.

"Nope, we just got here a bit ago...we've only been on the gravity...thingy...right when we got here...then we got something to drink...and then we found you two!" Ichigo said happily, leaning on Masaya slightly. Masaya offered her a sweet smile and wrapped an arm around her. Unbeknownst to them, Ryou was attempting not to look jealous, or angry, but he found that he was failing miserably on the latter...

Hekele watched everything transpire with a bit of determination in her eyes. Ryou had been acting fine before Ichigo and her boyfriend showed up...why was he acting so different now? Why had he pulled away from her? It hadn't bothered him before... Then Hekele saw the way he looked at Ichigo and Masaya, the way he just frowned upon them, even though he always held some sort of shimmer in his eyes whenever he spoke to Ichigo...even when insulting her.

_I see...Shirogane-san likes Ichigo-san...but Ichigo-san likes Masaya...so...he is jealous...He does not wish for Ichigo-san to think he has affections for me...Why does that thought make my heart hurt?_ she pondered to herself sadly. Hekele backed away from the trio slightly. She had already expressed a disdain for being a bother to Ryou; she wasn't about to go back on her word now...

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"Keichiro-kun, where do you think those two have gotten to? The delivery guys dropped off the stuff half an hour ago..." Kachie asked, quite confused. Keichiro, who was more annoyed than confused, shrugged.

"Who knows with those two...especially since Hekele would follow Ryou anywhere. They could be in China for all I know..." he muttered. Kachie looked at the couch and saw a newspaper. She picked it up and began reading it.

"...Keichiro-kun..."

"...Well, on their way to China at least...they couldn't have gotten there this quickly...or maybe they decided to spite us for some reason and eat out..."

"Keichiro-kun..."

"...you know...they might have-"

"Keichiro-kun! I think I know where they are! My goodness! And here I thought wegirls were the ones who were supposed to talk a lot!" Kachie tapped her foot indignantly and Keichiro sighed.

"My apologies Kachie-chan...where do you think they are?" Keichiro asked, getting back into his normal character. Kachie rolled her eyes, but smiled affectionately at him.

"...I think they went to the carnival..." she said, pointing to the article. Keichiro nodded a bit.

"Well, we'll leave them alone for now...they need some alone time..." he said teasingly. Kachie grinned.

"Definitely...so, what are _we _going to do?" she asked. Keichiro shrugged.

"I haven't the slightest clue...would you like to go on a walk around the park? Those two might be gone a while..." he suggested. Kachie beamed.

"Sure! Come on! Let's go!" she exclaimed. She grabbed Keichiro's hand and began trying to drag him down the stairs. At first, just to annoy her, Keichiro stayed put.

"My, my...eager to get out of the house are we?" he joked lightly. Kachie frowned.

"Yes! Now come on Keichiro-kun!" she tried dragging him once more, and found that he would permit her. She wasted no time in pulling him down the stairs, but Keichiro didn't mind. He stole a glance at their clasped hands and smiled a bit to himself. He lightly squeezed her hand and matched her stride, so that they were walking side-by-side. Kachie blushed at this, because they were still holding hands, but didn't say or do anything about it...she kind of liked it, to be honest...

"Keichiro-kun?" she asked tentatively. Keichiro glanced at her, a bit nervously. Was she appalled that he actually _wanted _to hold her hand?

"Yes?" he asked. Kachie looked up at him.

"How are we going to get even with Shirogane-san and Hekele-chan? I mean, I say we deserve our revenge..." she stated matter-o-factly. Keichiro breathed a short sigh of relief and chuckled a bit to himself.

"We'll think of something..." he said gamely as they walked out the door.

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Ryou had noticed Hekele's awkwardness with the group almost instantly after they had all started walking around together. Ryou really hadn't wanted to, but Ichigo and Masaya had insisted, and Ryou figured that Hekele might have more fun if she had another girl to talk to. So, thinking he was making a smart move, Ryou accepted the invitation. Hekele, however, appeared to be having even less fun than before...if it were at all possible...

Ryou looked at the couple next to him; Ichigo and Masaya seemed to be in a deep conversation about who knows what, so Ryou took the opportunity to slip back to Hekele, who had been following at the rear of the group.

"Hey..." he said, getting her attention, "Are you ok?" he asked. Hekele plastered on a fake smile and nodded.

"I'm fine Shirogane-san...why wouldn't I be?" she retorted lightly. Ryou could tell that she wasn't being honest, but only shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know...maybe because you're not having a good time?" he tried. Hekele sighed.

"I am having a fine time, Shirogane-san...I assure you..." she lied. Ryou only frowned. Taking another look at the talking lovebirds, he sighed to himself and grabbed Hekele's wrist, startling her slightly. He gently led her away from the two and towards the Ferris Wheel.

"Shirogane-san? What're you-"

Ryou cut her off, "You wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel didn't you? Well, let's go..."

Hekele looked at him oddly, "We're just going to leave them there? Shouldn't we let them know that we're going off somewhere? It's rude..." Ryou rolled his eyes.

"So is lying, but you don't see me complaining...those two are so wrapped up in themselves that they won't even know we're gone for ten minutes probably..." he said indifferently. Hekele smiled a bit to herself, but just a bit. Ryou was too nice sometimes...

"But...don't you want to stay with them? It looked like you were having fun..." she stated honestly. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Then I guess that makes me a better actor than you...I was bored out of my mind, the only reason I took them up their offer was to give you something to do..." he replied. Hekele's smile broadened a bit, and, without warning, she hugged Ryou around the waist.

"Not that it worked or anything...but the thought was sweet Shirogane-san...thank you..." she said happily. Ryou mentally sighed; he was once again the victim of a surprise attack, but oddly enough, he didn't mind it as much as he thought he should. Instead of pulling away, he cautiously wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a small embrace.

_Why does this feel so odd? I don't usually get nervous around people...let alone girls...so why does she affect me so? Ichigo doesn't even make me act this way..._ he thought idly as he relaxed a bit. Hekele herself could feel the blush creeping onto her cheeks as she rested in the embrace for a time, a smile creeping across her face ever so slowly.

After a moment Ryou snapped out of the moment and, upon fully realizing his predicament, cleared his throat awkwardly. Hekele, understanding, released him and backed away a bit, looking at the ground, hoping to hide her blush. Ryou was trying desperately to do the same thing. It wasn't working out too well for either of them though.

Finally, Ryou looked at Hekele for a moment before gently re-fastening his grip on her wrist and began pulling her in the direction of the Ferris Wheel, "...Come on Tweety Bird...let's get this over with...we need to get back soon..."

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High above the Ferris Wheel, three figures floated impatiently. They were searching for something...something that they thought would cause a rather large amount of damage and destruction...

"There..." Taruto pointed at a decently sized cage as he spoke. Pai and Kisshu examined it for a moment before nodding. It would work perfectly.

"Step right up ladies and gentlemen...you won't want to miss _this _show..."

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Kachie's head snapped up suddenly, and she looked at Keichiro, "Keichiro-kun?"

Keichiro, who had been enjoying their walk, looked at her with an expression of concern at the sudden urgence in her voice, "What is it Kachie-chan?"

Kachie's eyes were slightly enlarged, "Something bad is happening...I can feel it..."

Keichiro looked at her critically, "Should we head back to the café? Or should we go to the carnival and look for Shirogane-san and Hekele-san?" Kachie shook her head.

"I...I don't know...but we need to do something..." she said, feeling fear creep into her as suddenly as her impulse had come. Keichiro gripped her hand tightly and pulled her in the direction of the café.

"We'll scan the area for a Chimera Anima...and if we find one, we'll call the Mew Mews...then we'll head to the carnival..." he said, beginning to get the same bad feeling Kachie had. He quickened his pace.

"And what if it isn't a Chimera Anima? What then?" Kachie asked, moving faster to match Keichiro's long stride.

Keichiro tightened his hold on her hand once more as he broke into a sprint, "Then we run like hell to the carnival, that's what..."

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Hekele sat in their little cart on the Ferris Wheel happily. She was glad that Ryou had taken her on the ride; it was as she had suspected, calm and slow. It also gave an amazing view of the area. Hekele smiled slightly as she pointed at the park a few blocks away.

"Look Shirogane-san...I can see the top of the café from here..." she breathed out, awed by the Tokyo skyline. Ryou followed her finger and allowed a soft smile to grace his own features.

"Yep...and judging by the time, the lovebirds probably figured out our ruse by now...oh well..." he said, a bit candidly. Hekele laughed a little and leaned her back against their bench, resting a bit and enjoying the soothing ride. Ryou watched her as she closed her eyes and smiled a bit more. He was glad that they had ditched Ichigo and Masaya, (who were both probably rather annoyed at them,) he was having more fun with Hekele...even if they were on the second most boring ride at the carnival, (the most boring being the carousel.)

Suddenly, from below, the two heard screaming. Alarmed, Ryou carefully scooted over to Hekele's corner of their cage-like cart and peered over her shoulder at the ground like a hawk. What he saw worried him. There was a giant, slightly deformed, polar bear running amuck down below. Ryou's eyes widened.

"It's a Chimera Anima..." he said cautiously, as if he'd draw its attention or something. Hekele made a small, barely audible noise in her throat, remembering her last encounter with one of the infected animals. Ryou leaned in closer to get a better look, when the two felt the ride jerk. Ryou was thrown from their bench and onto the floor and Hekele had to hold on for dear life to prevent herself from doing the same. Then they realized that the ride had stopped moving.

Hekele hurriedly helped Ryou back onto the bench, (not that he really needed it though,) and they looked around frantically for the guy in charge of the ride. He had fled. Ryou cursed profusely under his breath; their cart was all but at the top of the whole damn wheel...

"Shit...this isn't good..." he said finally. Hekele gave him a very exasperated, and rather fearful expression.

"Even I knew that Shirogane-san! How are we going to get down?" she questioned, looking all around their cart. A familiar, and rather annoying, voice answered her.

"There's always the old-fashioned way...jump!" Both Hekele and Ryou looked up in time to see Kisshu...and two other aliens with him. Ryou glared, having already been acquainted with Pai and Taruto in the past; Hekele just stared at them fearfully.

Ryou carefully pressed Hekele to the other side of the cart, shielding her from them. Hekele gripped the back of his shirt, quite frightened of the three aliens currently staring at Ryou and herself. What did they want?

As if to answer her unasked question, Kisshu vanished and re-appeared inside the cart. He chuckled when Ryou moved to further block him from Hekele, "You think that'll stop me lover boy? Besides, I'm not going to hurt her..." Ryou's eyes narrowed viciously, and Kisshu grinned.

"So, Spitfire, where's that Ice Queen friend of yours? You two made quite the impression when we last met..." he drawled out in an amused tone. Hekele found the courage to glare at him, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

"I don't know Kisshu, she looks more like a scared kitten to me, are you sure what you saw was real?" Taruto asked, getting bored. Kisshu rolled his eyes a bit, but nodded.

"I was burned Taruto, I don't think I could mistake _that_...and her friend froze me...they have power...but it's unrefined..." he answered dully.

"So, since she doesn't seem to be in the talking mood, what do we do?" Taruto continued. Pai, however, replied.

"We test the theory, that's what."

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Kachie and Keichiro were running as fast as they could towards the carnival. It was just their luck that there _was_ a Chimera Anima...and it _was_ going on a rampage at the carnival where their friends had most likely gone to. Worry rang in their hearts as they pressed on.

"Keichiro-kun, why have the aliens attacked so soon after their last failure? One would think that they would try to regroup or something..." she asked. Keichiro shrugged as they rounded a bend and kept running.

"Kisshu probably told the others about Hekele-san and yourself...they are curious and dangerous creatures, these aliens..." he replied. Kachie wasn't done though.

"What are they trying to lure us out for?" she asked. Keichiro shook his head as they ran through the entrance to the carnival.

"I haven't the slightest clue..." he would have said more, but upon seeing the gigantic polar bear rounding the corner towards the two of them, he didn't think it wise. He grabbed Kachie's hand and pulled her swiftly back behind another corner, hiding them from view. He prayed that they hadn't already been seen...

When they were passed by, Keichiro let out a breath he hadn't known that he was holding. He turned to Kachie, who also looked quite relived, "Can you contact Hekele-san? Let her and Shirogane-san know that we're here, and that the Mews are on their way..." It was then that Ichigo was heard fighting the creature, her cries of 'Strawberry Check' giving her away. Keichiro glanced around the corner and confirmed this, and he also could see Pudding and Lettuce coming in the distance. Mint and Zakuro wouldn't be far behind...

Kachie herself was focusing a small part of her energy into her mind. It took a few seconds more than usual, but she felt their minds link. _Hekele-chan? Can you hear me?_

It took a few seconds, but she got a response. **_Yes! Kachie-chan, where are you?_**

_Hiding from a giant white bear...where the heck are you and Shirogane-san?_

_**We're stuck near the top of the Ferris Wheel with three aliens...and the ride isn't moving...**_

_Shit..._ "Keichiro-kun, they're close to the top of the Ferris Wheel...and there are three aliens with them!" she said hurriedly. Keichiro bit his lip apprehensively and squinted towards the top of the wheel, and sure enough, he could see at least two floating figures...

"Where's the third alien?" he asked. Kachie was one step ahead.

_Hekele, we only see two aliens..._

_**Kisshu is in the cart with Shirogane-san and myself...they came here looking for the both of us...you should stay hidden...**_

"Kisshu is in the cart with them...she says the aliens came looking for us...and that I should stay hidden..." Kachie said dejectedly; she wanted to help her friends...

Keichiro nodded his head, "And stay hidden you shall...we'll make our way over to the Ferris Wheel, and then I'll run out and get the thing moving again...get them closer to the ground..."

"Keichiro-kun! I want to help too!" Kachie stated indignantly. Keichiro offered her a soft smile.

"And I want you to stay safe. For now, since we don't know the extent of their intentions, it would be best for you to hide..." he cautioned. Kachie pouted a bit and he squeezed her hand affectionately.

"I promise that you'll get to help out next time...now just isn't right..." he lectured lightly. He pulled her by the hand down the wall and around the corner. Kachie didn't make a sound of protest. Subconsciously, Keichiro knew what that meant: if push came to shove, she'd try to step in. Keichiro would have to try to prevent that when the time came...

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Ryou guarded Hekele as best as he could as he stared Kisshu down. Test the theory? What were they talking about? He glanced back at Hekele quickly, making sure that she was ok. Did they know that she was the phoenix? That Kachie was the dragon? If so...what did they want with the two?

"What the hell are you talking about? What theory?" he questioned. Kisshu answered.

"Why, our working theory that there is more to the new girls than meets the eye...that power of theirs is incredibly potent...and it isn't even refined..."

Pai took over, "We've heard about mythical creatures that used to roam on this planet, long before our ancestors left. One of them was the phoenix, and another was the dragon. The phoenix is one of a kind; it has no mate, no other creature like it, and the dragon could at one point breathe either fire or ice, but one species tended to only breathe ice, and was able to adapt and survive throughout the early ice ages, until only they remained. Then our ancestors left the planet, and thousands of years later, your recorded ice ages occurred."

Taruto smirked, "We think your stupid girlfriend is the phoenix, and her buddy is the ice dragon...are we wrong?" Ryou only continued to glare.

"Well, since neither of you seem talkative, let's find out, shall we?" Kisshu asked, not caring whether or not he got a response. Without warning, he unleashed a blast of energy at the two, which hit Ryou squarely in the chest. He yelled in pain as he doubled over and fell to the floor. Hekele was at his side in an instant.

"Shirogane-san? Shirogane-san, talk to me..." Looking him over carefully, Hekele could see that his chest was badly burnt from the energy blast...and he might have a few broken ribs...

Kisshu disappeared from the cage and reappeared next to Taruto and Pai, "Well, if you're the phoenix, you'll survive..." Before Hekele could react, the three of them blasted the floor of the cart. It disintegrated instantly.

The sensation of falling can be described in many ways. Some people claim that it's just like flying, and that before you hit bottom, it's rather soothing and spiritual. Others say that it gives you this huge rush, almost like a drug induced high, which can be explained by the large amounts of oxygen and other gasses rushing into your lungs at such a high speed. And then there are those, who, while their falling, can only think of the probable death of the person falling with them. These people can only feel the intense beating of their own hearts as they watch with horror what is about to happen to their friend. Time seems to almost stop as thousands of thoughts run through their minds at once, all of that one person they feel helpless to save. There is no soothing last moments, no light-hearted high, only a pain in their hearts that they wish to heaven they had the ability to extinguish.

Hekele felt this impossible phenomenon and painful agony as she watched Ryou begin to slip into unconsciousness as the two began to fall. Warm tears began to flow as she tried to reach out to him...

"Ryou!"

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Ichigo heard the blast and turned to see its origin. Her heart broke in half when she saw two very familiar figures falling to the ground below. When Hekele's pained cry reached them, the whole battle seemed to cease for a moment...just a moment...as everyone felt an odd pulse of power. Just as quickly as it had stopped, however, the battle resumed...everyone helpless to save those they cared about...

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Keichiro and Kachie watched in complete and utter horror as Ryou and Hekele began their descent to the ground. There was nothing that either of them could do either. The Mews were tied up with the Chimera Anima, which was doing a fine job of keeping them far away from their falling companions. Keichiro himself was a statue, frozen in his shock. Kachie was no better. It was if time had stopped not only for the victims, but for everyone associated with them as well. In the ten to twenty seconds it would take to fall from that height, it seemed as though minutes, hours even, had formed. They too felt the pulse of power, even if just for a moment, as time regained its hold on them. Kachie, however, not only felt it wash over her; she felt it within her as well...

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Hekele felt helpless to do anything to help the boy falling at her side. She screamed his name and felt a warmth within her body pulsate. She felt a burning sensation on her back, and her instincts took over. She wrapped her arms around Ryou from behind, not even thinking of his wounds as she did so. She cried out in pain as her back lit on fire, and eight flaming wings burst from her flesh. Her body glowed for a moment as her wings flapped for the first time in centuries, though they were dangerously out of sync. With mere feet to go, she was granted a fate's favor as her wings adjusted and flapped effortlessly, keeping her landing smooth, and, most importantly, slow enough for Ryou and herself to remain alive.

The two crashed to the ground in a painful heap. Hekele still clutched Ryou as though he were a lifeline, despite the darkness creeping at the edges of her eyes. The last thing she saw before the darkness consumed her were the three aliens landing in front of her. Her last conscious thought, however, was of the immense cold hitting her in waves, coming from the other side of the aliens...

_**Kachie...be careful...**_

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Keichiro let out a breath he hadn't even known he had been holding as Hekele and Ryou made it safely, albite roughly, to the ground. He was amazed at Hekele's transformation. Her eight wings looked incredible, completely engulfed in flames that didn't appear to burn. He would have to thank her later, for saving Ryou...and for staying alive herself.

The aliens landed mere feet in front of the pair lying on the ground, and he felt a sudden surge of cold. He turned to see Kachie engulfed in a frigid blue light; her eyes completely silver like the streaks in her hair. She took a step forward and ice formed under her feet. Keichiro looked at her in alarm for a moment, but tried not to show it.

"Don't touch them..." she said, in a slightly surreal voice. Pai turned to face her and his eyes widened slightly at the radiating power.

Seeing only one alien giving her attention, Kachie spoke once more, " I said, 'Don't touch them!' If you take so much as one more step towards them, I'll rip you limb for limb, and freeze you that way!" This threat caught the attention of the other two.

Ice crystals were beginning to form around Kachie as she walked. Her hair flared dangerously behind her as her eyes continued to shine. Suddenly, she doubled over in pain as wings of her own sprung from her back. She screamed a bit as they grew, but kept as quiet as she could. They were dragon wings, and they looked just as stunning as Hekele's flaming angel-like ones. She stared at the aliens, challenging them.

"I dare one of you to make a move...c'mon..." she taunted. Kisshu growled and fired a ball of energy at her and Keichiro. Keichiro jumped to the side, while Kachie merely moved over. Her eyes gained a more icy hue and Keichiro swore he could feel the temperature drop at least forty degrees. Snow began falling from the sky, causing everyone, including the Chimera Anima, to look at the sky in confusion.

Kisshu didn't take the hint and took out his sais, "You be a good little Ice Queen now before I have to get rough with you..." Kachie growled lowly in her throat as Pai and Taruto turned to grab Hekele.

"Keep your filthy hands off of my friends!" With that, a huge burst of ice flew from her being and at the three aliens. Taken by surprise, the aliens teleported out of the way. The ice stopped inches from Hekele and Ryou.

Pai's face turned into a snarl, "I see Kisshu wasn't mistaken for once...we'll return for you two soon..." With that, and identical snarls from Taruto and Kisshu, the aliens vanished.

Kachie was still radiating with frigid anger, even after the three left. Keichiro approached her carefully, "Kachie-chan...they've left. Ryou and Hekele are safe now." Kachie's power slowly diminished. When he thought it was safe, Keichiro carefully walked closer to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She was still frigid, but it wasn't unbearable. He sighed and reached out one of his hands to grasp hers soothingly.

"You can calm down now...we need to get those two home...The Mews look like they'll be ok..." he reassured. It stopped snowing then, and Keichiro let out a sigh of relief. He smiled softly as Kachie returned the pressure he had placed on her hand.

"Keichiro-kun?" she said tentatively, her voice shaking. He nodded for her to continue.

"...That scared me...it felt like...I was something else..." she said, a bit fearfully. Keichiro subconsciously stroked her hand with his thumb.

"...You unleashed more of your power than you are used to...did you even know that you had wings?" he asked. Kachie shook her head and pulled away from him a bit, so that she could examine them herself. She flapped them a bit, getting the feel for them. Keichiro watched, amazed, as they disappeared slowly into her back. Kachie clutched the front of his shirt painfully and Keichiro stroked her hair to comfort her. When the process was over, she slumped against Keichiro, exhausted.

"Keichiro-kun...I'm tired..." she said. Keichiro smiled softly at her. He maneuvered so that she could climb onto his back. She obliged slowly and he stood straight up, making sure to keep a hold of her.

He watched as the Mews finally were able to destroy the Chimera Anima, and as they ran up to himself, Kachie, and their unconscious comrades. He smiled calmly at them to negate their fearful expressions.

"We'll all be ok...but we need to get back to the café and get ourselves cleaned up...and that includes all of you..." No one protested.

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Kachie opened her eyes slowly, feeling a painful throbbing in her head. She felt a hand on her forehead, but her vision was still too blurry to figure out whose it was.

"Hmm, a little warm, but I think you're ok..." came a calming voice. Kachie relaxed a bit.

"Lettuce-san? Is that you?" She heard a small laugh, and she was happy that her vision was beginning to re-focus.

"Yes...it's me. How's your back feel? Your wings left open wounds and they had to be bandaged..." she said. Kachie was just relieved when her vision aligned correctly and she could properly see the girl she was talking to.

"My back feels fine...it's my head that's hurting..." she admitted. Lettuce sighed.

"I'll go and get you some painkillers then...Keichiro-san will be happy that you've woken up as well..." she stated, standing up to leave. Kachie looked at her once more.

"How long have I been out?" she questioned. Lettuce shook her head.

"About twenty-four hours...Hekele-san and Shirogane-san have yet to wake up..."

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Ryou groaned painfully as he woke up in his bed. The sun was just coming through his window as he opened his eyes. His chest was on fire, and he vaguely remembered being hit with Kisshu's energy blast. Everything after that was really foggy. How did he get home?

He didn't know how long he lay their in his bed, unable to move because of the pain, before someone opened his door. He moved his head lazily to see who it was, and was met with a very relieved expression.

"Well, about time you woke up, I was getting worried..." Keichiro said, walking up to Ryou's bed and staring down at him. Ryou gave him a look.

"How long have I been out?" he asked. Keichiro shook his head.

"It's Monday morning. You've been out for almost two days Shirogane-san. The café is going to open in half and hour, just so you know..." Ryou slapped his head, but regretted it instantly as his brain seemed to pulse against his skull painfully.

"Ow...Two days? What the hell happened anyway? The last thing I can really remember was getting hit by Kisshu's energy blast..." he said. Keichiro looked a bit relieved.

"So that's how you were burned...we were worried Hekele had accidently done it...at some point after that, the aliens blasted the floor out from under the two of you and you fell out,"

Ryou interrupted him, "Wonderful...remind me to give a raise to whoever saved us..." Keichiro rolled his eyes at the sarcastic tone Ryou used.

"Well, that'll be a bit difficult to do, as you don't pay Hekele..." he said. Ryou looked at him oddly and Keichiro continued.

"Yes, Hekele was the one who saved you." Ryou's eyes were a bit wide.

"But how?" he asked. Keichiro shrugged.

"Well, she sprouted wings. Eight of them to be exact. They were ablaze and everything. She was able to cushion the fall for the two of you a bit, enough so that no further damage was done. You both were too close to the ground for her to stop the fall completely..." he explained to the best of his ability. Ryou massaged his temples, trying to dissipate the pain.

"...Is she ok? The aliens-"

It was Keichiro's turn to interrupt, "Know that she is the phoenix? They also know that Kachie-chan is the dragon. She defended you two after you hit the ground; Hekele was unconscious. Kachie herself managed to hold on until she could get the aliens to abandon their plan and leave...then she all but collapsed due to exhaustion as well..."

Ryou sat up slowly, trying to be mindful of the pain, "How are she and the Mews? And you never told me how Hekele was."

Keichiro sighed, "The Mews were a bit banged up, as usual, but were fine; Kachie woke up only yesterday...and Hekele is still out cold." Ryou found himself looking at the floor, almost as if in shame.

Keichiro looked at his watch and regretfully turned to leave, "I've got to get to work downstairs. Stay up here and rest; those wounds and broken ribs won't heal if you're up and doing too much; you'll tire yourself out."

Ryou only nodded a bit before relaxing back into bed. Keichiro left the room and shut Ryou's door behind him. Ryou, however, wasn't in the mood to rest. His mind kept traveling to Hekele's current condition, and to a broken memory he could only assume was from when they had fallen. He remembered rushing air, and then he could hear a voice calling out to him. Finally he remembered feeling a warmth surround him. Then he remembered nothing else.

_I'll have to check on her later...rest suddenly doesn't sound too bad...Damn, I should have asked Keichiro for pain killers..._

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Kachie was washing dishes diligently at her station while Keichiro made the food. He had told her half a dozen times that he could handle it on his own, and that she shouldn't be working so soon after waking up; Kachie, however, refused.

"I'm telling you Keichiro-kun, I'm just fine. Just because I was asleep until yesterday doesn't mean I'm still tired. I mean, it was because I used up so much power without practice...but I'm fine now..." she said, as he asked her once more. Keichiro sighed.

"I know...but still, I would feel better if I knew that you were well rested..." he retorted. Kachie sighed and grabbed another stack of dishes.

"...How was Shirogane-san when he woke up?" she asked. Keichiro shook his head.

"He was in pain, I could tell; I'll bring him up some pain medication when it slows down a bit. He was pretty shocked when I told him about Hekele saving him from the fall. And he looked pretty upset when I told him that she still wasn't awake..." he stated. Kachie bit her lip.

"I'm worried about her Keichiro-kun...I figured that she'd be up by now..." she confessed. Keichiro smiled at her reassuringly.

"She used an abundance of power, _and_ she fell to the ground, gaining physical injuries as well. It's only natural that she takes a bit longer than you to wake up...don't stress yourself over it too much...She's a phoenix...remember?" he said calmly.

Kachie sighed once more as she began scrubbing dishes, "I know...I know..."

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Ryou sighed as he slumped into Hekele's room carefully. Keichiro had given him some medication a few hours ago, and he was feeling much better in the pain department. He had to check in on Hekele; he felt drawn to her somehow, and wanted to be sure that she was ok.

He could tell that she was asleep even before he shut the door and slowly made his way over to her bed. It was the new bed that she had picked out at the store, and the rest of the furniture was in the room as well. He pulled the desk chair over carefully and sat down next to her bed.

"Well, other than a few cuts and bruises, you look like you're ok to me..." he said to her sleeping form. His only response was her even breathing and serene face.

"Let's hope that's all that's wrong with you Tweety Bird..." he said quietly. This time, Hekele scrunched up her face a bit and changed her sleeping position. This allowed Ryou to get a clear view of a good portion of her back. It was wrapped entirely in bandages. Alarmed, he thought back to everything that Keichiro had told him, and fully realized for the first time that she had grown wings. Had that been the warmth he had felt? The flames from her wings?

"So, when they receded, they left open wounds...that couldn't have been comfortable..." he said to her once again. This time, he was once again graced with no response. Ryou leaned the chair back against the wall and closed his eyes. Keichiro had been right, he wasn't ready to be up and about yet...

_I'll just rest a bit and then head back to my room..._

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Hekele yawned a bit and opened her eyes sleepily. Her head hurt a bit, and her back felt like it had been run over by something very large and very heavy. She looked around a bit and realized that she was in her room above the café. Her new furniture was there as well.

Hekele rolled over, a bit painfully, and saw an interesting sight. Ryou was sitting next to her bed, slumped against the wall, and sleeping. "Shirogane-san?" she asked, confirming the fact that he was sleeping when he didn't respond. She carefully pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked him over closely, glad that he had survived the fall.

She noticed right away that his chest was bandaged up; concealing from her his bad burns. She grimaced at his cuts and bruises, most definitely from their rough landing, and was glad that they weren't any worse. She bit her lip and looked around; there was a glass of water on her bedside table for her in case she had woken up. It would do nicely for her purpose.

Hekele drank some of the water, relieving her parched throat, and held onto the now half-full glass tightly. She began to pull things from her memory, things that made her sad, or exceptionally happy. She remembered when she was little and getting a few of the more painful tests done to her for the first time at the base.

Two tears slipped into the glass of water.

She then recalled seeing Kachie for the first time, and how afraid and sad the girl had been.

Three tears...

Hekele recalled how happy she had been when they had met Ryou's father and he had promised to free them the next night.

Four tears...

When Ryou's father never returned...

Six tears...

She remembered meeting Ryou himself and Keichiro and the Mews the night they had saved Kachie and herself.

Five tears...

Finally, Hekele forced herself to recall what had happened at the carnival. How sad and happy she had been throughout the whole thing, and the horror of hers and Ryou's encounter with the aliens. She also recalled her feelings of complete and utter helplessness...

Ten more tears...

Perhaps twenty-eight tears was over doing it, but Hekele had to be sure she had enough. She wiped her eyes and held the glass of water and tears to her chest, and began to chant a quiet sort of prayer.

"May these tears be a catalyst for the powers in the liquid life, may their powers merge and heal together as one..." she said in a low and almost unearthly voice. The glass in her hands rippled slightly and then the water glowed a light blue. As soon as it had, however, it stopped, and in her hands was once again, what appeared to be clear water. Hekele smiled softly to herself as she edged carefully over to Ryou, whose chair was right next to her bed.

She used her fingers and lightly dabbed a cut on Ryou's forehead, only to see it begin to vanish as soon as she touched it. Hekele's smile broadened as she continued healing up his cuts and bruises, pleased that she could be of use. After a few minutes of this, Ryou began to stir.

Hekele froze, suddenly unsure of what she was doing. Would Ryou get upset that she had tended to his wounds without his permission? Would he be angry with her? She subconsciously held her breath when he opened his eyes.

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Ryou hadn't expected to actually fall asleep, and he had been even more surprised when he woke up; Hekele was staring right at him with wide and almost fearful eyes. He blinked a few times, clearing the sleep out of his eyes, before he said anything.

"Hey...you're up...how're you feeling?" he asked. Hekele let out a sigh of relief.

"Other than an aching back and a slight headache, I'm fine...how are you Shirogane-san?" she asked politely. Ryou shrugged a bit and winced as his chest began to burn a bit. He noticed a rather thoughtful look on Hekele's face.

"I can help that Shirogane-san...I can heal you..." she said truthfully. Ryou looked at her oddly.

"And how can you do that Tweety Bird?" he asked, humoring her. Hekele smiled a bit.

"My tears, remember? Here, let me take those bandages off you and I'll show you what I mean..." she stated, moving over to give him room. Not in the mood to argue, Ryou rolled his eyes and obliged her request. He sat on the bed and Hekele immediately, but gently, went to work with the bandages. The outer set was no problem, but the set over his actual wound proved a bit more difficult to remove. Ryou was surprised with how careful she was, but didn't say anything.

When that was done, Hekele only smiled at him, "Now lay down on the bed, that way we don't get everything soaked." Ryou laid down as ordered but gave her a look.

"You're not going to start crying all over me are you? 'Cuz that would be just weird..." he said pointedly. Hekele laughed at him.

"No, Shirogane-san, I'm not going to cry on you. See this glass of water? I made myself cry into it when I woke up, and then I merged the healing powers in my tears with it; a few tears go a long way when it comes to healing, but the tears would not cover enough surface area alone, get it? I've already healed a couple of your cuts and bruises..." she said honestly. Ryou looked up at her oddly.

"You did?" he asked, confused. Hekele nodded down at him.

"Mmm hmm..." She wrapped the bandages from Ryou's outer wrappings around her hand and soaked it with the water, "This may sting a bit, but I promise it won't be unbearable..." she warned. Ryou only nodded and Hekele began to carefully dab at his wound.

Sting? Ryou didn't know where she came up with that one; all he could feel was his skin tingling slightly under her touch. He wasn't sure what was happening, but it felt good. He closed his eyes peacefully and he could feel relaxation coursing through his veins. He wasn't tired...just...calm.

After a few minutes, Hekele spoke, bringing him back to reality, "I'm finished Shirogane-san...you're all healed up..." Ryou opened his eyes to see a smiling Hekele hovering above him slightly. His face slipped into a slight smile of his own as he sat up. Feeling no pain, he looked himself over, only to find that she had truly healed him...even his two broken ribs were ok...

"Tweety Bird...I owe you one..." he said, but paused for a moment in thought. "Actually, I owe you more than that..." he corrected. Hekele looked at him oddly.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Well, let's see; you mysteriously sprouted wings when we were falling to our doom and saved me. I'd have died if it weren't for you," he stated. Hekele shook her head.

"No...you saved Kachie-chan and myself first...from the base. You don't owe me anything Shirogane-san..." she said, blushing. Ryou gave her a look.

"What's with the 'Shirogane-san'? You called me Ryou before...I heard you..." he said, recalling the voice he had heard right before he blacked out. He knew it was hers. Ryou couldn't help but grin in a cocky manner when Hekele's blush deepened to a crimson color.

"Umm, I just...well, I was scared that...you were...Oh stop smiling Shirogane-san! You get off on teasing me don't you?" she accused, turning her head away from him. Ryou blinked a few times, not having counted on her outburst, before raising his hand to her chin and turning her face back to him. Her eyes were trained on the ground determinedly.

Ryou sighed as he let her chin go, "Actually, I think I prefer you calling me 'Ryou'. I wasn't trying to make fun of you...this time..." Hekele looked up at him slowly.

"Really? You don't mind me calling you by your first name?" she asked timidly. Ryou nodded.

"No, I don't mind; like I said, I prefer it...you don't mind me calling you Tweety Bird do you?" he asked. Hekele thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"Mmm-mm, I don't really mind that much..." she consented. Ryou smirked and stood up, stretching.

"Good, because you really didn't have a choice in the matter there..." he said superiorly. Hekele hit him in the arm and scowled at him slightly, though he knew she didn't mean it.

"Want me to show you how to play a couple of card games?" he asked. Hekele nodded.

"Sure, I'm not really able to leave my room yet anyhow..." she agreed. Ryou grinned and walked out of the room, returning moments later wearing a t-shirt and a deck of cards in his hand.

"So, how much do you know about cards?" he asked. Hekele stared at him.

"I've been in a test tube my whole life Shirogane-san, what do you think?"

Ryou shook his finger at her, "What did I tell you?" Hekele rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, _Ryou_, but I know nothing about card games."

Ryou smirked once more, "Then we start with the basics...Go Fish..."

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Kachie sighed as she and Keichiro finished the last of the dishes. The café had just closed, and they had been swamped all day. Keichiro didn't have a free moment to check up on Ryou or Hekele once, (since he had given him some pain killers anyway,) nor had Kachie or any of the Mews.

"I wonder how he's doing?" Kachie asked, referring to Ryou. Keichiro rolled his eyes.

"He's probably wondering why he hasn't been fed; and he'll be grumpy about it since he can't get down here to get it himself..." he stated. Kachie giggled.

"Look who's talking Grumpy. The evil customers got to you again...and Ichigo-san thinks they drive _her_ insane..." she dared. Keichiro narrowed his eyes at her slightly, but gave in with a slight nod.

"You're right, that wasn't exactly fair of me...let's check up on them shall we?" he suggested, having finished the last of the dishes. Kachie nodded and hurriedly dried the last of the ones in her pile. Keichiro smiled at her slightly and gently took her hand; walking towards the stairs. Kachie blushed slightly, as she had developed a habit of doing when he held her hand, but followed gladly.

After they got up the stairs, they released each other's hands and peeked around the corner to see if Ryou was watching television. Nothing. Perplexed, since neither of them had actually expected Ryou to stay in bed the whole day, they checked his room. Once more, no Ryou in sight. Kachie gave Keichiro a confused look and the two made their way to Hekele's room. Bingo.

It was quite cute really; Hekele was resting against the headboard of her bed, a few cards in her hand, and Ryou was laying across the foot of her bed, one arm hanging off the edge. His cards were on the floor. Kachie and Keichiro couldn't believe the sight. Hekele had apparently woken up at some point in the day, and the two had started playing cards.

"Keichiro-kun?" Kachie asked mischievously. Keichiro looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What?"

Kachie grinned, "We need to find a camera...quick..."

"Agreed..."

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The aroma of cooking food woke Ryou, as his stomach had finally decided that it was time to alert him to its current emptiness. He opened his eyes slowly, only to find himself in Hekele's room.

"Musta fallen asleep playing cards..." he muttered tiredly, sitting up and stretching his arms. He turned a bit and saw Hekele sleeping against her headboard; he smiled softly to himself; Hekele _was_ attractive, but something about her sleeping face made him feel at peace. He couldn't help but enjoy it...

Since the mess of cards wasn't going to clean itself up, Ryou decided to tear his gaze away from Hekele to do it, which proved difficult, considering the cards had fallen everywhere. Once he was finished with that, he looked at Hekele once more, deciding that she'd probably want to eat something as much as he did.

Ryou sat next to her on the bed and lightly began to shake her, "Tweety Bird...I think Keichiro's cooking your favorite bird seed...let's go..." Getting no reaction out of her, he rolled his eyes.

"Ok, fine, I lied; Keichiro isn't cooking bird seed, but he _is _cooking, and neither of us have eaten in a while..." he tried. All he got was a content sigh and an even more curled up Hekele.

Ryou rolled his eyes, before getting an evil idea. "Ok Tweety Bird...you asked for it...I'm warning you...wake up now and no one get's soaked..." he whispered. Seeing no signs of her waking up, Ryou took her glass from the night stand and splashed her with what was left of the water in it. Hekele was up and swinging her arms frantically in an instant.

Ryou ended up falling off the bed while trying to keep out of her reach. When Hekele fully woke up, she looked around, confused. "What on Earth?"

Ryou sat up from his spot on the floor, looking at her with laughter in his eyes, "So...that water thing _does _work..." Hekele peered down at him and saw the mischievous look on his face; she crossed her arms angrily.

"You are so mean..." she accused as she looked away from him. Ryou rolled his eyes and stood up next to the bed.

"No I'm not; I tried to wake you up three times before I did that. Now come on, our personal chefs are making dinner..." he said. Hekele laughed.

"Don't let them hear you say that Ryou...they might just mutiny on us..." she warned. Ryou chuckled a bit and held out his hand to help her up.

"Come on...let's go and eat." Hekele sighed and shook her head.

"I don't think I can Ryou...my back hurts...I used up too much energy on my wings, and I didn't have enough left to heal myself..." she confessed. Ryou sighed and crouched down, almost to her level.

"Then get on; it'd be boring to have to eat up here by yourself..." he said, offering her his back. Hekele blushed.

"Are you sure Ryou?" she asked. Ryou nodded.

"Of course I'm sure, now get on so we can get moving..." he ordered. Hekele smiled and obediently wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. Ryou stood with little difficulty, adjusted her a bit, and began his trek to the dinner table.

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"Well, well, well, so _now_ you'll show up for dinner? Pity, we had some good beef stew on Saturday..." Keichiro mentioned candidly. Ryou, who just helped Hekele into a seat, scowled.

"I can't help it if she bores easily..." he tried, Hekele glared at him playfully.

"Don't even try to pin that on me Ryou, it was your idea to go to the carnival and you know it!" she said. Ryou narrowed his eyes at her slightly, but she only smiled.

"So? You got bored and I took you. End of discussion."

Keichiro grinned, "Before or after you went to the furniture store?" Ryou stared.

"After. They said that the stuff would be over soon, so we decided that we didn't want to head home and end up dealing with guys who couldn't move furniture properly no matter how well they're paid...so I took her to the carnival and got my ass beat by Kisshu," he lied nonchalantly. Well, at least the first part was a lie...

Keichiro looked dumbstruck; Ryou had an airtight alibi, and Hekele wasn't disagreeing with his answers... "Really? Why don't I believe that?"

"Maybe because you're so stressed out over our near death situation? Beats me...now, can we eat, or are you going to starve us?" Ryou asked with an icy finality to the discussion. Keichiro sighed and sat down. He knew Ryou was lying, and the only reason he cared was because he wanted to annoy him about it later. Alas...Ryou was one hell of a good fibber...

"Eat...I'll deal with you later..."

Ryou smirked, "I'm so scared..."

Keichiro side glanced Kachie and muttered into his drink as he pretended to take a sip, "You will be..."

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Ryou grinned to himself as he lay awake in bed. Keichiro had been so surprised when he had discovered that Hekele had healed Ryou. Kachie, who knew of Hekele's healing abilities, was shocked as well. Ryou had also managed to avoid further questioning from Keichiro on the his and Hekele's disappearing act at the carnival. He knew that Keichiro would find a flaw and corner him sooner or later, but until then, Ryou wasn't talking.

He was glad to note that Hekele's back was getting better; her natural healing abilities exceeded that of a normal person, but still were nothing compared to her flames or tears. Her back still hurt her a bit, upon last check, but it no longer required bandages, and she could move around without too much difficulty.

Ryou looked at his alarm clock and sighed. It was eleven fifteen; he wasn't even tired. He sat up in bed for a few minutes, pondering what to do, before deciding to go and check out the refrigerator down in the kitchen. A midnight snack might be just what the doctor ordered.

As soon as he opened his door, Ryou immediately noticed that Hekele's door was open as well; it was just a few feet to the side and across the living room from his own. Ryou walked over to her room and peeked inside; Hekele wasn't there. Ryou shrugged it off and resumed his plan to head back downstairs for some food. He had an idea of where she was anyway...

Once in the kitchen, Ryou poked around in the cupboards and fridge for something edible. Ice cream. Why was the only edible thing in that entire kitchen at the moment, ice cream? Ryou sighed to himself as he grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and scooped a few clumps of ice cream into it. He was about to put the ice cream away when he thought better of it, grabbed another bowl from the cupboard, and filled it up too. He topped both off with chocolate and a cherry each and headed back upstairs. Chances were, Hekele either was on the balcony, or in the lab, but Ryou was pretty sure it'd be the balcony.

He was right too, as soon as he poked his head through the glass doors, there she was, sitting on a chair and looking for stars through the light pollution of the Tokyo skyline. Ryou grinned to himself as he snuck up behind her quietly. She didn't even suspect a thing...

He was directly behind her, not a foot away before he spoke in a haunting voice, "Hey Tweety..." Hekele jumped a mile, her serene quiet disrupted unexpectedly. Ryou had to step back to keep from being knocked over accidently. He was all smiles as Hekele's eyes narrowed on him for probably the third or fourth time that day.

"Ryou, why do you insist on tormenting me so much? I wanted the fresh air to tire me out so that I'd sleep! Not to be scared to death by you so that I'd stay up longer!" she complained. Ryou shrugged and sat in the chair next to her, offering her one of the bowls of ice cream.

"Maybe you're just an easy target...have some sugar," he said. Hekele glowered at him as she took one of the bowls.

"Might I remind you that I want to sleep sometime tonight? Sugar isn't going to help the situation any..." she said, taking a bite anyway. Ryou took a bite of his own treat and shook his head slightly at a memory.

"Eleven-thirty and eating a hot fudge sundae..." he muttered to himself, looking at the clock visible in the living room. Hekele caught on and smiled a little.

"Well, last time it was a banana-split...but it's close enough I guess...that was a week ago, right?" she asked. Ryou nodded.

"Yea...and I recall you being rather distressed over something stupid..." he stated, glancing at her for her reaction. Hekele, once more, narrowed her eyes at him.

"It wasn't stupid Ryou..." she corrected. Ryou shrugged as he took another bite.

"Yea it was; you were worrying about something fixable and feeling guilt for things that hadn't even happened...it sounds pretty stupid to me," he argued gently. Hekele sighed and shook her head.

"I am beginning to see how clueless you are when it comes to the emotions of others, Ryou...caution and guilt aren't bad things..." she retorted. Ryou rolled his eyes at her.

"Well, thank you for the lecture _mother_...I'm sure I'll look back on it one day and think you're right...but until then, eat your sundae and be happy about it Tweety Bird..." he ordered. Hekele shook her head and smiled as she took another bite.

"Whatever you say Sylvester..." she replied. Ryou twitched a bit when he heard his _very _unwanted nickname.

"Why must you call me that?" he inquired irritably. Hekele shrugged playfully and stood up with her treat, walking to the railing.

"Because it seems to bother you beyond logical reason...why? Would you prefer Shirogane-san?" she mocked. Ryou stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"My God, we've corrupted you...and all it took was one week..." he said, feigning remorse. Hekele smiled and walked back over to him and sat down.

"Only as much as I wanted to be corrupted..." she admitted, taking another bite. Ryou grinned at her slightly.

"I'm sure...So, tomorrow morning I'm going to start teaching you how to use the computers and such?" he questioned, changing the subject. Hekele beamed at him happily, as though he had just said the magic words.

"Of course! I can't wait!" she exclaimed giddily. Ryou smiled to himself and shook his head.

"You know, computers aren't all that exciting...you might get bored..." he warned. Hekele shook her head.

"I don't care how boring you say they are; they can't be as boring as just sitting there in the basement and watching you work without knowing what was going on..." she pointed out. Ryou smirked to himself and shook his head.

"This is true..." he said.

The two sat there in a comfortable silence as they gazed at the night sky. It really was calm and peaceful out at that hour; no noise in the park, no customers in the café, and no loud obnoxious birds. It was dark, there was a calm breeze, crickets were heard serenading in the grass, and a few lightning bugs could be seen here and there. Ryou just relaxed in the serenity of it all, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes contently.

He sighed as he thought over the day. He couldn't believe that he had been asleep for the better part of two days. He was glad that Hekele had been able to save them, but he regretted her having been so drained that she was out for just as long as he had been. He recalled how it felt when she had healed him; it had been on the border line of incredible. He had never felt so relaxed in his entire life...and she had been gentle too. Even though she wasn't the best card player, teaching her how to play 'Go Fish' and 'War' had been rather entertaining; Ryou had to admit, Hekele was a fun person to be around...

It was then, as Hekele was standing up to go take her empty bowl to the kitchen, that Ryou realized that he had never properly thanked her. Sure, he had mentioned owing her one...for healing and saving him each, but he had never thanked her. Ryou mentally slapped himself; Hekele and had Kachie had been very adamant about vocalizing how thankful they were for everything from being saved to having a roof over their heads. He shook his head. He hoped his lack of manners didn't rub off on the two...

"Hey, wait up..." he said, getting up and following her inside. Hekele obeyed and smiled as he walked up next to her. He seemed a bit flustered, but she wasn't sure why.

"What's up?" she asked, resuming her trek. Ryou shrugged. Why was it so hard to say thank you to her? Ryou didn't quite understand, but he wasn't dumb enough not to know that she definitely had a hold over him. He recalled feeling this nervous around Ichigo from time to time, but being able to hide it with a rather rude comment or a simple 'baka strawberry'. He didn't want to do that to Hekele; something about it felt wrong...as opposed to simply arrogant...

"Well, I just...noticed how careless I had been today..." he said, shrugging once more. Hekele eyed him suspiciously; she knew something was up.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Ryou sighed.

"I...wanted to say thank you for everything...you saved me, and healed my injuries...and that deserves a multitude of thanks...I gave you none..." he admitted. Hekele looked at him curiously for a moment before smiling.

"You don't have to thank me Ryou...I knew you were grateful," she said, blushing. Ryou smiled at her.

"Yes I did; you and Kachie always thank us for things when we understand how you feel...it's just the courteous thing to do...and I was sorely lacking in that department today. So, thank you, I guess..." he said, fumbling slightly. Hekele grinned, despite herself, and gave Ryou a hug. Once again, he wasn't quite sure what to do.

"Thank you for being so sweet..." she said honestly. Ryou felt the blush creeping onto his cheeks, but didn't pull away. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her as he had done before, returned the squeeze, and released her. Hekele stood there dumbly, having expected him to just stand there like he usually did when he received a hug. Ryou only smiled at her and led her by the wrist the rest of the way to the kitchen. They placed their bowls in the sink and began to walk back to their rooms.

"Be sure to get some sleep Tweety Bird...you have many boring lectures awaiting you tomorrow morning..." he said as they reached the top of the stairs. Hekele nodded, and smiled when they reached her room. Ryou bit his lip, but then leaned down and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek.

He smiled at the crimson color of her cheeks, knowing that his was probably no better, "Thank _you_ for being so sweet..." Hekele blushed further, and was about to say something, when there was a flash from the balcony. They two stood there in complete and utter shock as Keichiro, Kachie, Mint, and Ichigo poked their heads sheepishly around the open door. Keichiro had a digital camera...

Ryou was struck dumb. He had never been caught in a situation like that before...hell, he had never been in that situation before. He didn't know what to do... "What...the hell are you doing here?" he asked. Ichigo grinned.

"Well, Mint and I had a bet running...which I believe I just won by the way, and we had to be here until midnight to verify the results...and I must say...you cut it pretty close..." she said joyously. Mint just grumbled a bit and handed Ichigo a twenty.

"And what, pre-tell, was this bet?" Hekele asked. Kachie grinned.

"That you and Shirogane-san would be a couple by midnight tonight..." she said mischievously. Hekele and Ryou both paled visibly...and then flushed to a monumental color of red.

Keichiro smiled, "You two make an _adorable _couple...when's you're next date?" Ryou blushed another shade.

"We've never been on a date and you know it..." he muttered. Ichigo shook her head.

"Not true...you took her to the carnival, _alone_...that sounds like a date to me...you were practically holding her hand..."

Ryou growled, not liking being cornered, "Wrist..."

Kachie grinned, "Close enough..."

Keichiro smiled to himself as well, "I'm sure the rest of the girls will love this picture of you kissing her on the cheek...quite out of character really..." Ryou narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"You like Kachie." Ok, it was immature, but it got the point across. Ryou turned on his heal, leaving a rather stunned, and flushed, Keichiro, and a very tomato-like Kachie. Mint and Ichigo stared at them for a moment before heading downstairs.

"Well, I won my money...I'm outta here...You coming Mint?" she asked. Mint rushed to catch up, not wanting to stay and potentially get caught in the middle of a battle.

"Right behind you..."

Keichiro stared at Ryou's door, only to hear Hekele's slide shut while he wasn't looking. He turned to Kachie suddenly, "Would you like to accompany me tomorrow after the café closes?" Kachie looked at him oddly.

"You mean...like a date?" she asked, unsure. Keichiro pondered for a moment, before giving a slight nod.

"Yes, would you like to accompany me on a date out to eat for dinner, leaving these two, who cannot cook, to fend for themselves for the night?" he asked, elaborating on his plan. Kachie smiled mischievously.

"I'd love to Keichiro-kun..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 6**

Yo guys! I'm back! Sorry I took so long, but I made a promise to my 'Inu-fans' to update twice in a row...but I'm back to my regular schedule now! Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Oh, and I was listening to My Chemical Romance's song 'Helena' for the last...page and a half...so in order to fully get the mood...if you could...put that song on repeat while you read that part...

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Kachie smiled happily to herself as she washed the dishes. It was a rather comical scene; Keichiro was running back and forth in the background with all of the orders he had to fill, while piling dirty pots in Kachie's pile as the Mews ran in and out behind her taking and giving orders as well as piling their own dirty dishes onto her unusually big pile to wash.

It had been like that all day; giant piles of dirty dishes, insanity in the background, and Kachie smiling distractedly while humming every now and then. Tonight was her official date with Keichiro, and Kachie couldn't even find it in her to be anything but happy...even when Pudding drenched her in dish soap and she had to go upstairs to change.

Finally, ten minutes before the café closed, Kachie was able to get on top of her pile and actually have nothing to do until the Mews kicked everyone out. She sat at the table as Keichiro finished up his last order and shoved it out the door with Lettuce. He too sat at the table and rested...with only five minutes to go.

"So..." he began looking at Kachie affectionately, "I was thinking about going out for Italian...what do you think?" Kachie smiled to herself, and him.

"It sounds good...I haven't had any Italian food besides spaghetti, so this'll be interesting..." she said honestly. Keichiro returned her smile.

"'Atta girl...you love the food where we're going; I promise..." he said. Kachie nodded, her smile still in place. It seemed that Keichiro was looking forward to their night out as well, and that made Kachie happy.

"Oh, and remind me to take Ryou's credit card..." Keichiro stated, out of the blue. Kachie stared at him oddly.

"Why?" she asked. Keichiro grinned slightly and took her hand in his as he faced her with all the seriousness that he could muster.

"So that he can't cheat his way out of our plan and order Hekele and himself take-out..." he replied. Kachie laughed at him and he released her hand, laughing as well. Their moment was ruined, however, when all the Mews came into the room and declared that they had closed the café doors and that they were leaving for the night. Keichiro and Kachie smiled at them awkwardly and bid them farewell; Mint and Ichigo hadn't told the rest of the Mews about what Ryou had said the previous night about Keichiro's feelings for Kachie, but that didn't make it any less unnerving that they 'knew'. After the Mews left, their dirty dishes piled high, Keichiro and Kachie set back to work, plotting all the while on how they would get out of the café without Hekele and Ryou finding out for a while...

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Hekele sat at one of the computers, staring at the screen and pushing buttons every here and there as she was prompted to do. Ryou had taught her how to dial up a satellite undetected and scan for Chimera Anima. Though it had been difficult at first, Hekele was now a pro at that particular task. She was currently working on decoding information, which was confusing her to no end.

Ryou walked over as soon as he saw a frustrated frown appear on her face, "What is it now Tweety Bird?" Hekele's frown only deepened.

"This thing is frustrating...I can't pick up a pattern..." she admitted. Ryou looked at the letter matrix that he had set up for her to try to decode, trying to see how far she had come in getting the message. Three letters...

He laughed, "This pattern isn't as basic as the other ones...try a hexagonal format..." Hekele frowned further and did as she was told, only to have the message decode right before her eyes. It read: "Baka Tweety Bird"

Hekele glared at him, "There have got to be more simple things that I can learn to do on a computer to start off with! This is probably stuff that you learned in college!" Ryou grinned.

"Yep...what I am currently teaching you to do is hacking...and you're a born natural...just a bit on the slow side..." he commented. Hekele's glared deepened.

"That's an oxymoron! You can't be a born natural and then be slow at learning it! You're just trying to frustrate me again!" she accused. Ryou grinned and ruffled her hair.

"But of course...what else can I do for entertainment around here?" he asked teasingly. Hekele crossed her arms and looked away from him, bent on giving him an extreme case of the silent treatment for purposefully making her feel stupid. Ryou tried to ruffle her hair once more, to make peace in his own way, but she moved away from him.

He frowned, "What's got you so mad Tweety Bird? Did I rub your feathers the wrong way?" Hekele said nothing to him, nor did she even look at him. Ryou quirked an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the silent treatment, and grabbed the back of her chair. He rolled her over to his chair and sat down in it, staring at her. Still she didn't look at him, or speak.

"Why aren't you talking to me Tweety Bird? Is it because I was teaching you the hard stuff first? Come on...you can't stay quiet forever..." he tried. When Hekele only turned her chair around, so that her back was to him, he glared at her childishly. He stood up and walked towards the door.

"Fine, be that way." He shut the door behind him as he left and headed up the stairs, deciding that he would get a snack to tempt her with. She hadn't had lunch, so he was hoping it would work.

"Keichiro...Hekele's being a brat...don't ask why, but I need food to use against her..." he said as he reached the kitchen door. When he opened it and found no one in the kitchen, he was surprised. He looked around, wondering if Kachie was getting ready to jump out of somewhere to scare him, but still found no one in the room. Frowning, he went to the refrigerator, deciding that the two were probably upstairs watching television before making dinner.

He opened the fridge and took out some grapes and washed them off for Hekele. When he put the rest back in the fridge and shut the door, he saw a note stuck to it. He frowned and took it off, reading it over curiously.

'_Ryou and Hekele,_

_Kachie and I have gone out to dinner; you'll have to fend for yourselves for the night. Oh, and just to warn you...we've got your credit card Ryou, you won't be ordering any food while we're gone...have a good night!_

_--Keichiro' _

Ryou's jaw dropped as he realized what Keichiro and Kachie had done; Keichiro knew that he couldn't cook, so they left him and Hekele behind without any means to eat unless they wanted to potentially poison themselves. Ryou groaned and slapped his head; he just _had_ to get even with Keichiro the night before when he had been caught kissing Hekele on the cheek...obviously, Keichiro had decided to retaliate too...

He ran back down the stairs to the lab and burst through the door, with the note in hand. Hekele jumped when he entered, and graced him with a very confused and alarmed face.

Ryou held up the note, "We have a _serious_ problem..."

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Keichiro and Kachie walked hand-in-hand to the restaurant that Keichiro had reserved for the two. They had decided that since it was such a nice evening that they would take a detour walk through the park rather than get a cab. Both were all smiles; they could just picture Ryou's reaction when he got the little note that they had left for him. Sure, they'd get a decent scowl and a formidable annoying lecture when they got home, but neither cared; it wasn't like Ryou could do anything to them anyways...

"Keichiro-kun? Do you think they'll actually survive on their own cooking, or should we tip off poison control?" Kachie asked, half seriously. Keichiro smiled and tried to suppress a laugh at picturing Ryou attempting to cook, but shook his head.

"No...I'm sure Hekele'll stop Ryou from doing anything too stupid, and she's too timid to try to cook...so I'm sure the two will be fine..." he replied. Kachie shrugged.

"If you say so..." she said, not quite believing it herself.

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The restaurant was packed. Kachie's eyes were wide in their sockets, "Keichiro-kun?" she asked. He looked down at her questioningly.

"What is it? Getting cold feet?" he teased gently. Kachie blushed and shook her head. She motioned to the completely full room before them.

"How are we suppose to walk in there? I mean...I don't see an aisle or anything..." she stated. Keichiro followed her gaze and chuckled a bit. It was true; it looked nearly impossible to so much as breathe in there, let alone walk through to their table. Ironically, their waiter looked just as confused.

"Booked to the brim?" Keichiro asked candidly. The waiter nodded, a bit nervously.

"Apparently so sir...would you like for me to check the availability of one of the party rooms? It wouldn't cost anything extra, as we're unexpectedly so packed..." he offered, knowing that he himself wouldn't want to sit in a room that packed if he could help it.

Keichiro nodded to him gratefully, "Yes please...if it wouldn't be too much trouble..." The waiter smiled and waved him off, leaving to check it out. After waiting for a few minutes, he returned.

"We have a table in the third room open still, and it's rather spacious in there; sorry it took me so long by the way..." he offered kindly. Keichiro looked at Kachie and then nodded to the waiter.

"Thanks; we'll take it..." he accepted. The waiter then nodded and led the two to the room.

It was a nice room, and very spacious indeed. Kachie and Keichiro settled into their chairs comfortably and started looking at their menus. Keichiro couldn't help but laugh as Kachie's face turned to one of confusion.

"What, doesn't anything look good?" he asked jokingly. Kachie shook her head.

"No...and that's the problem...it all looks great...I have no idea what to choose..." she admitted. Keichiro looked at his own menu and had to agree; everything sounded, and looked, fabulous. He smiled as he looked back up at her.

"It certainly puts my cooking to shame doesn't it?" he asked. Kachie shook her head.

"I'm sure that you could cook as well as any of these highly paid chefs...who're too busy yelling at the people doing the actual cooking to make a good meal..." she replied. Keichiro chuckled and nodded slightly.

"If you say so...why don't you try the Shrimp Alfredo?"

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Hekele watched Ryou with a bemused face as he stared at the refrigerator with a scowl on his face. He had been doing that for the past few minutes. Had this happened any other time, Hekele would have said something to try to cheer him up, but she still held firmly to her decision not to speak with him...

Ryou, noticing this fact, turned to look at her, "Are you still giving me the silent treatment Tweety Bird? Would you hurry up and get over it?" At his annoyed outburst, Hekele only raised an eyebrow and turned her head away, refusing to even look at him once more. Ryou gave an exasperated sigh and turned on his heel, intent on calling Lettuce for help...Lettuce wouldn't tease Hekele or himself about the situation...

He dialed her phone number and was groaned when no one picked up. He was about to leave a message when Hekele walked up and grabbed the phone, hanging it up on him. Ryou stared at her like she had gone insane.

"What the heck was that about! I was trying to get us help!" he growled at her. Hekele merely shook her head and held up a cook book. She shoved it into his hands and walked towards where the pots and pans were kept, leaving a confused Ryou by the phone. Noticing that there was a page marked in the book, Ryou flipped to it and found a recipe of tuna noodle casserole.

He walked over to where Hekele was getting the ingredients ready and looked at her skeptically, "So, basically, you mean to tell me that the best way to get even with those two is to actually attempt to cook and not poison ourselves at the same time? You're really going to try to make this, even though you've never cooked before?"

Hekele looked up at him with a mischievous smile, and nodded.

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The food was as delicious as the service was wonderful. Keichiro swore that he could not have picked a better restaurant for his night out with Kachie. And he could tell just be looking at her that she was having a good time too; that pleased him more than anything.

"Enjoying the pasta?" he asked her casually. Kachie looked up at him and smiled.

"Of course, I'm glad you recommended it! How's your food?" she asked politely. Keichiro smirked.

"Like I said before, it's better than anything I could have made..." Kachie shook her head at his modesty, knowing full well that he could do just as well as the chefs at that particular Italian restaurant.

It was then that something caught her eye, or rather someone. Kachie wasn't quite sure, but the person seemed familiar to her. It was a man, a rather tall man, with short black hair and glasses in a business suit. He was with another man, one just a bit taller than Kachie, who was quite round and stubby. His eyes were almost like slits, and his greying hair appeared to be balding slightly. He too was in a business suit, a considerably fancier one. He didn't seem familiar in the least though, it was the first man that aroused Kachie's undying curiosity.

"Keichiro-kun..." she said uncertainly. Her companion across the table looked up at her with concern; she sounded troubled...

"What is it?" he asked, looking at her carefully. Kachie nodded her head ever so slightly to where the two men were sitting.

"I can't be sure...but the tall one seems familiar to me...do...do you know him?" she asked quietly. Keichiro stole a quick glance at the men and shook his head slightly, puzzled.

"**I want to know what measures are being taken to ensure the return of my property...those specimens were quite difficult to obtain..."** Keichiro over heard the elder man say. He hadn't meant to, but the man had spoken rather loudly. The other man, the one Kachie found familiar, was quieter, but Keichiro was now curious as well, and he listened closely to his response.

"_I can assure you that while the location of the creatures is currently unknown, we are taking every precaution to find them. It will not be long now...sir..."_

"**I want to know how they escaped to begin with! I had the best guards in the armed forces watching the base. No one can remember anything!"**

"_It would appear that they were taken by outsiders...or one of our own...but that is highly doubtful, we've already given every man and woman with knowledge of the creatures' existence a lie detector test...and all passed. The cameras were tampered with as well. We have nothing."_ the tall one admitted remorsefully.

The elder man leaned over the table slightly with a ferocious anger burning in his eyes, **"I want this city and every city within a fifty mile radius turned upside down. You will find my dragon _and _my phoenix...or you, your colleges, and your families will pay the price. You have one month."**

Keichiro's eyes were wide with alarm. He turned back to Kachie and found fear written on her face as plainly as though someone had written it there with a marker. He had to get her out of there; her naturally silver streaked hair would be a dead giveaway as to who she was if and when the two men bothered to look their way.

"Kachie-chan...wait for me out front...I'll be there in a minute...try not to draw their attention to yourself..." he whispered to her as quietly as he could with her still able to hear him. Kachie nodded, frightened, as she quietly stood to leave. Her eyes never left the men as she made her way out of the room.

Once she was gone, Keichiro called for the check. The two men looked at him momentarily, and then went back to their now quiet conversation; Keichiro was glad that he had sent Kachie ahead of him. Once the bill was paid he hastily left the room, making a mental note of the two men's appearance so that he could sketch them out later.

Keichiro exited the restaurant and looked around for Kachie, finding her partially hidden by some plants. She didn't look suspicious though, and Keichiro was glad that she had the sense to look as normal as humanly possible while hiding herself from immediate view.

Kachie looked up slowly when she heard his footsteps. He could see tears forming in her eyes and he reflexively pulled her into a tight embrace. Keichiro desperately wanted to make her happy again and to see her smile, but somehow he knew that it'd be more difficult than merely getting even with Ryou and Hekele...

He looked up as the sky became overcast, almost as if it too felt their inner fear and uncertainty, "Kachie-chan?"

"Hm?" she answered quietly. Keichiro stroked her hair a bit and released her. He took firm hold of her hand and turned towards the sidewalk.

"...Let's go home..."

Kachie didn't protest once as he led her back to the café.

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Ryou was genuinely surprised at how well the casserole had turned out. It looked nowhere near as appetizing as it would have if Keichiro and Kachie had made it, but it tasted great. The only thing that troubled Ryou was that Hekele had yet to say a word to him.

He looked over at her from his end of the couch and sighed, "So, you're still not talking to me, are you? Did I really upset you that much?" Hekele said nothing in return to him, but did grace him with a quirked eyebrow. Ryou rolled his eyes at her and began flipping through the television channels, looking for something to keep his mind off of his current predicament. The volume was down pretty low, so he could hear the rain begin to pitter patter outside. According to the weather channel, when he got there, it was only suppose to get worse. Wonderful...

After a few minutes, Ryou heard a cab pull into the driveway and stood up to look out the window. It was Kachie and Keichiro. A glare appeared almost instantly upon his face as his eyes began to narrow. As if reading his mind, Hekele stood up and began to head towards the stairs. When Ryou looked at her however, he could see a look of concern on her face. Curious, he followed her downstairs.

When Ryou reached the bottom, he found Hekele sitting with Kachie at one of the tables; Keichiro was standing right behind Kachie with his hands on her shoulders, almost protectively. He looked pretty downcast, and Kachie looked like she was about to start crying.

"What happened? You two ok?" he asked as he sat himself in the chair next to Hekele. Neither Kachie nor Keichiro answered at first, but eventually Kachie spoke.

"Hekele-chan...they're looking for us..." she said, barely above a whisper. Ryou watched as Hekele's face paled to a ghostly color and instantly understood.

"The scientists at the base?" he guessed. Keichiro nodded.

"And their boss, a rather disagreeable man, is on the war-path...he's set a rather unreasonable deadline, one month, and so we must take extreme caution. There's no telling what the scientists and the military may do to find these two and take them back..." he informed grimly.

Ryou looked at Hekele out of the corner of his eye and found her looking at the floor, deep in thought. He sighed as he turned his line of vision back to Keichiro, "What are the odds that they'd look for them here?" Keichiro shook his head.

"I haven't the slightest clue. There are bound to be people who saw what happened at the carnival, however, only from a great distance. If these people are found, then the odds are that they'll turn every building upside down in search of these two...if they _don't_ find out about the incident at the carnival, we've got a much better chance...they're to search every city within a fifty mile radius, and that means that none of the searches will be that thorough. We can't allow anything to draw their attention to this city..." he stated. Ryou held his head in his hands as he rested his elbows on the table.

"That would mean no Mew Mews, Keichiro. If the aliens were to attack, we'd be sunk either way. All eyes would be on us in an instant, in fact, because of the Mew project, we're already probably the city they'll search the most thoroughly..." he admitted. Keichiro nodded.

"Yes...I thought as much as well...but we cannot sacrifice the Mews...if the aliens attack, we'll have to respond...and if we've learned anything from these aliens, they'll attack us when we wish it least..." he responded. Ryou took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to think.

"...We should get the Mews over here and let them know what's happened...they'll need to keep their eyes peeled for anything that might tip off where these people are searching..." he suggested. Keichiro nodded.

"I'll call them all up...Kachie-chan, why don't you come with me?" he asked, lightly taking her hand. Kachie nodded mechanically and allowed him to help her up and lead her to the kitchen, where the phone was.

Ryou sat there, alone with Hekele. He sighed to himself and turned to look at her once more. She hadn't moved a muscle. She was still staring at the floor as though it would reveal all the answers to life's problems to her.

"You ok Tweety Bird?" he asked gently. Hekele sighed to herself and shook her head a bit. She had tears brimming her eyes, just like Kachie had.

"Ryou..." she began, looking up at him slightly, "...I'm scared..." Without a second's worth of thought, Ryou was next to her and wrapping her in what he hoped was a comforting embrace.

"What are you so worried about Tweety Bird? Keichiro, the Mews, and I aren't going to let those bastards anywhere near you two...you've got nothing to be afraid of...I promise, ok?" he offered. Hekele nodded into his shoulder a bit, allowing those few tears of hers to fall. She idly realized that Ryou had willingly, truly, hugged her for the first time; somehow that comforted her a little.

"I'll hold you to that promise you know..." she warned. Ryou shrugged as he let go of her and looked her in the eye.

"If it was a promise that I couldn't keep, I wouldn't make it Tweety Bird."

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The Mews sat around the basement lab looking shocked at the information that they had been provided. All except for Zakuro anyway, who seemed as impartial to life as ever. Ryou and Keichiro were standing in front of them, waiting for a response. After all, a response was tangible, and could be interpreted as well as acted upon. Silence, which was what the two were currently being graced with, was misleading and incomprehensible.

Finally, the aloof Zakuro closed her eyes as she broke the ice, "Part of us had to know that something like this was going to happen. For the military to just up and ignore that their most powerful and unique, 'weapons' had been taken from them would be unthinkable. It simply does not work that way, but we've gotten attached to our new friends and took for granted that we now have them and gave in to the thought that we always would. We never thought things through, and that is going to make the next few weeks much harder..."

At her words, which made so much sense, both Ryou and Keichiro looked at the ground, as if in shame. They were supposed to be the brains behind Tokyo Mew Mew, and they had failed to think their rescue operation through. In truth, it wasn't over yet, not as long as there were people after Kachie and Hekele, and that could be for a very long time...

"But...the question isn't what we _should _have done; it's what we're going to do _now_. Tokyo Mew Mew can't just fade into the background for the next month...but we can't let those men even think that they might be here..." Lettuce reasoned timidly.

"Why not na no da? The aliens always seem to find us anyways, so why not fade into the background for a while and let them follow us na no da?" Pudding chirped. Keichiro sighed.

"Pudding...I don't-"

"Actually, it might work..." The whole group turned to see Ichigo, looking deep in thought. She was staring at her clasped hands, looking hesitant, but at the same time, quite determined.

"Ichigo, are you out of your mind! Those aliens would show up the instant we left! I'll bet you _anything_!" Mint exclaimed, staring at her friend as though she had gone insane.

"No...I'm serious Mint...The aliens...think that they're doing what's right, remember? They feel like we humans are killing the Earth, and in truth...we are...they hate that animals are going extinct, they hate what's happening to our atmosphere, and they hate _us_ for causing it all...so it stands to reason, that if they felt that they could prevent things from getting worse, they'd do it. Hekele and Kachie aren't simple animals either; they've taken human form over thousands of years of adaptation, but they are still part of this planet's history, and they're alone in that they are all that's left of their species probably...and Hekele's technically been alone since the dawn of time...so...the aliens, even if they ended up capturing the two...wouldn't hurt them...they'd want to...in a sense..._help_ them..."

"Ichigo...what are you getting at? I don't think I like where this is going..." Lettuce said apprehensively.

Ichigo only continued, "...I think we need to try to make a temporary truce with them...at least long enough to solve our current problem...think about it; if the military were to get a hold of Kachie and Hekele again, the aliens would have an impossible time trying to get them. _We_ would have an impossible time trying to get them...but if they help us protect them until the threat has passed...then they would have the chance later on...and that's better than no chance at all."

Zakuro looked at her thoughtfully, a rare sign of emotion, "I think that Ichigo may have something here...we may be able to lure them to us with the Mew Aqua...we would come unarmed of course, to let them know that we didn't want to fight, and then we could _try_ to explain the situation to them...if it doesn't work the diplomatic way..."

Ichigo, who had been thinking along the same lines, picked up the train of thought, "We could use force to make them hear us out...but...in order to gain their trust...we'd need to..."

It was then that everyone was silent. No one knew how they could prove to the aliens that they could be trusted...even if they got that far into the plan. Pudding bit her lip, a sign that she had a controversial thought.

"Well...we could always give them a small piece of the Mew Aqua...that would work na no da..." she said honestly. Everyone was silent. They knew that it was probably their only shot.

Ryou shook his head, "I don't think that this is the safest idea...how do we know that the aliens will keep their word? Giving them _any_ of the Mew Aqua would mean giving them a new multitude of power, and I hate to be realistic here, but it's hard enough for us to hold our own against them. If they were to double cross us..."

Keichiro nodded a bit, "It would be disastrous. Any cover we did have would be blown in an instant, and for all we know, the military would end up searching this area first...and despite how well prepared we are, the military would be able to get into our secrets if they tried...and then the secret of Tokyo Mew Mew would be revealed..."

"...And we'd be in the same boat as Hekele-chan and Kachie-chan na no da..." Pudding said sadly. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Ichigo only shook her head, "All the more reason that _we_ wouldn't double-cross the aliens...we _need _their help...there's no escaping it...without their help we could easily fail...but _with_ their help...we could deter the military _away _from our city...don't you get it?"

Lettuce sighed resignedly, "I suppose you're right Ichigo...I hate to admit it...but you are..." Mint stared at the two of them for a moment before shaking her head.

"My god...Now I know that you guys are a bad influence on my intelligent thinking...I'm actually agreeing with you..."

Zakuro gave a ghost of a smile, "And the signs of desperation reveal themselves...you already know my vote; I don't have to say it again..."

Pudding began bouncing up and down with excitement, "This'll be an interesting experiment na no da! The Mews and the aliens working together; I wonder if it will work na no da!"

Ryou and Keichiro looked at each other helplessly. Both knew that the Mews were right, but neither liked the idea of putting their fates and the fates of all their friends in the hands of the aliens. It just wasn't...well...safe.

Keichiro sighed, "Well...I suppose there really isn't another way...is there?" Ryou whipped his head back to Keichiro so fast that the girls swore they heard it crack.

"Keichiro!"

"Ryou, if you've got a better idea, I'd love to hear it. Trust me, I'd like nothing more than a fool-proof, alien free plan to keep the Mews, Hekele, and Kachie safe, but one just doesn't seem to exist," he said sternly, clearly not liking the plan anymore than Ryou.

Ryou held his gaze defiantly for a moment, long enough for the Mews to edge away from the two a bit for fear of being caught in the cross-fire of a major argument. Ryou, however, could sense that it was an argument that he would lose, especially since the rest of the Mews were all for the plan. He sighed dejectedly.

"Fine, but at the first sign of trouble, we're all done for."

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Keichiro knocked on Kachie's door lightly, knowing that the girl was awake. After a moment, she opened it slowly, almost as if expecting the bogeyman to jump out and take her. Upon only seeing Keichiro, she opened the door a bit wider and looked up at him solemnly.

"Hey..." was all she said. Keichiro gave her a rather charming half-smile.

"Well, we have some good news and some bad news...which would you like to hear first Kachie-chan?" he asked. Kachie stepped out of his way and he entered her room, sitting on the corner of her bed. She left the door open and followed him, sitting on the other end corner.

She sat Indian-style as she faced him, "I suppose I'd rather hear the bad news first...that way, the good news could possibly cheer me up..." Keichiro nodded in approval of her choice.

"Well, the bad news is: we have a plan, a very, very, _very _risky and possibly dangerous plan. It involves _trusting _the aliens. Don't make me get into the twisted logic behind it now; we can sort through it later..." he said with a note of finality. Obviously, Kachie concluded, this plan had been discussed and the verdict of 'horrible-but-only-plan-we-have' had been bestowed upon it.

"All right then...I'll ask about it later. Now, what's the good news?" she asked curiously, confused as to what good could have possibly befallen the group in such a frightening time; well, frightening to Hekele and herself at least.

Keichiro smiled, "The Mews, Ryou, Hekele, you, and myself will be going to stay at Mint's summer home. As of tomorrow at closing time, we are through with the café for a few weeks and off to a well deserved vacation."

Kachie smirked dejectedly, "We're hiding..."

"That too...but what else can we do really? It's not like we can just fight the government...right?" he asked. Kachie sighed and shook her head.

"If we were to, it would be a lost cause...I understand..." she said. Keichiro sighed and scooted closer to her, wrapping her into a protective hug.

"We'll beat this one way or another...it's either we stay here and force you two to hide like prisoners, or we all hide and you get to be more free...we thought it would be better this way..." he said. Kachie leaned on him reflexively as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Thank you...it means a lot that everyone would go through with this just to take care of Hekele and myself...I mean...we aren't anyone special or anything...you know we'd just be happy that you cared about what happened to us...right?" she said, looking up at him. Keichiro nodded.

"We know...and we just didn't think that it was good enough to simply declare 'tough love' and then let things happen. We take care of our friends and each other...and that includes you and Hekele." He gently wiped a few of the tears from her eyes and gave her another gentle squeeze of encouragement.

"Look at it this way," he began, releasing her enough so that he could see her face, "now we get to find out how good a swimmer you ice dragons are..." Kachie giggled a bit despite herself and gave Keichiro another hug, glad that he was there trying to cheer her up when she needed him.

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Hekele stepped lightly down the stairs to the basement, not wanting to make too much noise. The Mews had left some time ago, and after talking to Kachie for a while, Keichiro had gone off to bed, but Ryou hadn't even come upstairs yet. Hekele had idly decided to stop worrying about herself for long enough to get him to go to bed. Hopefully.

Hekele opened the door to the lab quietly and snuck in, spying Ryou by one of the computers. She idly decided that he must be extremely tired, for she was only steps away from him and yet he still did not notice her there.

"Ryou? It's going on twelve o'clock...maybe it would be good for you to get some rest..." she voiced quietly, as not to startle him. Ryou, however, jumped a bit and had to look around him before finally finding her.

"I'm not tired...why aren't you in bed?" he defended. Hekele sighed and sat in the rolling chair near his and scooted closer to him. He had bags beginning to form under his eyes...

"Ryou, don't try to change the subject...you got up early this morning and it is at least three hours past your usual, self-proclaimed weeknight bed-time..." she stated in a motherly tone, though she hadn't meant to.

"...Tweety Bird...did Keichiro happen to talk to you about the plan...the Mews...came up with?" he asked, ignoring the current topic for one he felt had more importance. Hekele seemed annoyed at this, but she decided to oblige nonetheless.

"No, I'm afraid he hasn't...would you care to inform me?" she asked. Ryou bit his lip.

"...We're going to _try _to make a temporary truce with the aliens...if they were to attack while the military were looking for you, especially if they were already looking in the city, then the search would become more focused...and they'd almost certainly find you...and Tokyo Mew Mew...the Mews would be in the same danger Kachie and yourself are. So...if the aliens accept our temporary truce, they wouldn't attack, and it would make things easier. Also, we're going to go spend the next few weeks at Mint's summer house...her family hasn't used it in a few years apparently...so we'd be undisturbed. It's about a hundred miles away too, so it's a ways out of the military's search radius..." he explained. Hekele nodded slightly and stifled a yawn, being more tired than she'd rather let on.

"...When is all this going to happen? And...what happens if the aliens go back on their word or don't give it altogether?" she pressed, concerned.

Ryou sighed, "...Tomorrow...we're going to use the Mew Aqua to lure them out, and then we'll make our proposal. And sometime after that...we're leaving the city...so you'll want to pack ahead of time tomorrow..."

Hekele looked him in the eye, "What happens if the aliens do not cooperate Ryou?"

Ryou averted his gaze, something that worried Hekele, as he spoke, "Tweety Bird...if they don't help...we're screwed..."

Hekele stared at him, startled and blank, "...Oh..."

Neither of them said anything for the next few minutes. Ryou didn't want to look at Hekele's face; he felt like he had failed both her and Kachie by not thinking things through when he asked everyone to help rescue them.

Hekele sighed to herself and curled her knees up to her chest, so that she was curled up in a ball on her rolling chair. She cocked her head towards Ryou and offered him a small smile. Out of the corner of his eye, Ryou noticed this, and returned his gaze to her curiously.

Hekele's smile broadened a small fraction at this, "Thank you for telling me...and thank you for caring for Kachie-chan and myself despite how much trouble keeps coming your way...You...Keichiro...and the Mews...you're probably the kindest people on Earth...not many others would stick with even their closest friends in a time like this...Arigato..."

Ryou watched her expression carefully, not understanding how she could possibly smile at such a desperate time. But she did, and somehow...he couldn't help but give her a small grin in return. She was definitely not helping his oversized ego problem...

"Tweety Bird...you are an odd one...here...I've got a present for you..." he said, wheeling over to the nearest computer desk and opening a drawer. Hekele looked at him curiously, wondering what he could possibly have to give her.

Ryou motioned for her to hold out her palm and Hekele obeyed hesitantly. Was Ryou pulling a prank on her? He always seemed to do things like that whenever the two of them had some sort of peaceful moment with one another. Ryou smiled at her reassuringly and placed a small, cold, metallic object in her hand. Hekele cocked her head at him curiously and pulled back her hand, staring at him the whole while. When she finally looked into her hand at his gift, her eyes grew wide.

"...This is..."

"You're new Reverse Power Pendant. I finished it about an hour ago...Kachie's is still in the drawer. You use it the same way the Mews use theirs..." he explained, a bit uplifted by her awed expression.

"Wow...Ryou...thank you! I can't wait to show Kachie hers! She'll be so excited! This is incredible!" she bounced, with newly found energy. She leapt at Ryou and gave him a huge hug, once again surprising the boy. He sighed and rolled his eyes; she was too easily pleased...

"...I just wanted to get those done before tomorrow...just in case..." he admitted. Hekele nodded and let go of him. She stood up and stretched, giving Ryou the 'evil-eye' suddenly.

"Ok...now that that's accomplished, you need to get to bed! I'm tired and I refuse to go to bed until I know that you've done the same! Come on!" she ordered, grabbing him by the wrist and attempting to pull him out of his chair. Ryou chuckled and stood up, allowing her to pull him a couple of feet before fully complying. Once he was walking beside her, Hekele let go of him and flashed him a sleepy smile. Ryou rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair lightly, causing her to giggle a bit.

When they reached the top floor, Ryou walked her to her room gentlemanly and ushered her inside. He ruffled her hair once more and grinned slightly at her tired expression.

"Get some rest Tweety Bird...we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow...sleep tight..."

Hekele nodded a bit as she moved to shut the door, "Same to you...you look like you need it..." Ryou narrowed his eyes at the door as it shut and he distinctly heard her giggles on the other side. He then rolled his eyes as he went to his own room. The next day would definitely be _long_...

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Keichiro had woken Kachie up early so that she could pack for the group's 'vacation'. Since she would be helping Keichiro in the kitchen all day, it was the only time she could pack. The poor girl was sleepy beyond belief and could not seem to concentrate on her current task. She was too worried about the confrontation with the aliens later that day to think about anything else...

It was seven in the morning when Keichiro went to check up on Kachie, and when he found her only half packed and stumbling into her dresser, he sighed.

"Kachie-chan...why don't I make you breakfast? Then you can get back to packing...I doubt you'll get much more done anyway on an empty stomach and being as tired as you are anyway," he offered. Kachie looked back at him, startled, but nodded.

"Thank you Keichiro-kun, I'd like that very much...just don't startle me like that!" she responded tiredly. Keichiro smiled a bit and motioned for her to follow him downstairs.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you up so early...I know you're not exactly a morning person..." he stated remorsefully. Kachie gave him her best smile.

"It's all right...but where are Hekele and Ryou? They are usually up at this hour and already downstairs...but I didn't hear them get up..." she said. Keichiro chuckled.

"I heard them come up last night. Ryou was downstairs until almost midnight when I heard Hekele go down...and then the two came up a few minutes past the hour. I was tempted to spy...but I was too busy trying to get back to sleep..." he admitted. Kachie sighed.

"I suppose none of us had a decent night's sleep...have we?" she asked. Keichiro shook his head.

"No...I suppose not..." he replied as they entered the kitchen. Keichiro ushered Kachie to the table and began to get to work making the two of them breakfast. Pancakes, he decided, would do.

He turned to her as he began preparing the batter, "Are you doing any better this morning, Kachie-chan?" Kachie slumped so that she was resting on the table.

"Yes and no, I guess. Yes, as in I have faith that you and everyone else will do everything possible to keep us safe; no, as in I'm tired as all get out and am still scared out of my mind that things won't work out..." she proclaimed. Keichiro nodded a bit, as if expecting that answer, and sat down next to her, abandoning the batter. He took her hands in his, causing her to look him in the eye curiously.

"Kachie-chan...if there is one thing that I can guarantee you...it's this: No harm will come to you while I'm still standing in your defense...understood?" he said, meaning every word. Kachie's cheeks steadily turned red as she looked at him, not quite sure what to say to his thoughtful words.

It was at that precise moment when Ryou decided to make his entrance. When he saw Keichiro holding both of Kachie's hands, he rolled his eyes, "Get a room you two...I'd rather not puke up my coffee once I've ingested it..."

Keichiro, taking note of Ryou's sour temperament, grinned, "Well, we _did _have a room to ourselves, but you just happened to walk in during a rather _private _moment..." Kachie blushed a bit more, even though she knew that Keichiro was only teasing Ryou.

Ryou himself, who was putting the water into the coffee maker, froze for a moment before turning back to the duo. "I'm going to pretend that you never said that, mostly because I don't know what the masculine term for, 'eewww,' is..." he said tiredly. Keichiro looked at Kachie and both of them grinned a bit more.

"Oh...so then you giving Hekele-chan a kiss on the cheek must have been the most disgusting thing known to mankind...and if that's the case, why did you do it Ryou?" Kachie asked teasingly. Ryou narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who said _you _could call me by my first name?" he challenged, trying to divert the subject. Kachie took advantage of it, however, now getting into the spirit of annoying the cranky boy.

"Oh, so only your darling Hekele-chan has the esteemed privilege of calling you by your first name? And here I didn't think you held her in such an affectionate regard..." she said sarcastically. Ryou narrowed his eyes further.

"Then next few weeks will be hell for you two...I promise..." he said, before turning around and making his way out of the kitchen, "...Just so you know, I _did_ have a surprise that I was going to share with you two this morning...but now I'm not so sure..." Keichiro's brows furrowed a bit in confusion; he hadn't the slightest idea as to what Ryou was talking about. Perhaps it had to do with why Ryou had been locked up in the basement more than usual...

"Ryou...what are you up to?" he asked. Ryou shrugged.

"Who knows..." he replied indifferently. He went through the stairway door and down to the basement, a bemused expression playing about his face.

Keichiro and Kachie stared at the door for a moment with mixed looks of confusion, curiosity, and apprehensiveness upon their faces. Then, as if scripted, they looked at one another with the same expressions. Suddenly, they jumped up from their seats and raced to the door and down the stairs.

"Ryou!"

"Shirogane-san!"

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Hekele packed her belongings remorsefully. She had just gotten used to her daily routine, and now she would be breaking it. It was something so trivial, and yet she was sad about it. How odd it seemed to her to feel that way.

She had woken up due to the commotion downstairs. No doubt Ryou was going to give Kachie her Reverse Power Pendant as he had done Hekele the night before. Hekele smiled at the thought. Kachie would be so pleased with the idea of becoming a Mew. She had already known about the Reverse Power Pendant, but she didn't know that it would make her one of those 'champions of justice' heros that her friends were. She would be surprised, undoubtedly, but quite pleased with the thought.

Keichiro may be a different story, however. He seemed to be leaning towards wanting to protect Kachie and make all her pain go away. He wouldn't want her to fight for fear of her life, just as he and Ryou feared for the other Mews...only more so with Kachie. The dragon would need to learn to fight her own battles, just as Hekele herself would, and this was probably the best way.

Keichiro would know that.

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Keichiro stared at Ryou with a blend of awe and annoyance. He had made Kachie the pendant to help control her powers...and had made her a Mew. Kachie seemed thrilled by this information, and Ryou had given her a choice as well. He could still alter the pendant. But no, Kachie wanted to be a Mew. She wanted to help save the world.

Apparently, Hekele had been given the same information the previous night, though she had already known about it ahead of time as well. This only annoyed Keichiro further. He had not been included within Ryou's plan, and it bothered him a bit. What if something had gone wrong?

"Keichiro-kun?" Keichiro came back to reality and looked at Kachie, who had been trying to get his attention.

"Yes, Kachie-chan?" he replied. Kachie looked at him with concern.

"Keichiro-kun, are you all right?" she asked. Keichiro offered her a smile and waved off her concern.

"I'm fine Kachie-chan...why don't you head upstairs...I'll be there in a minute, ok?" he said. Kachie nodded a bit and gave him a smile of her own, knowing that his was forced and wanting to make it genuine.

When she was gone, Ryou spoke up. "You know she'd want to help anyway; Hekele's the same way. With the pendants though, and with them being Mews...it makes it easier for them and the rest of us. They'll have weapons at their disposal, better control of their powers, and they wouldn't feel as alone. They'd be part of a team."

Keichiro allowed himself to glare at his young friend, "They're already part of a team, Ryou. Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?"

Ryou sighed as he met Keichiro's gaze, "You're right, they are part of a team; the problem is that they don't feel like they are. To them, they are part of a group of friends; friends who have done everything within their power to keep them safe, friends who set them free. They feel weak in that sense, and they need to feel stronger to be stronger. You know how it works..." Ryou leaned against the wall as he continued, "As for not telling you; it was supposed to be a surprise. You entertained the idea of making them Mews in the future, and I set it into motion when I felt they needed to be. And you can't say I didn't take them into consideration, because I gave both of them a choice; Hekele when I just began the necessary research and Kachie just now. If they didn't want this then they weren't obligated."

"Another thing; why did you include Hekele, and not Kachie?" Keichiro questioned, sitting down in a chair.

Ryou rolled his eyes, "_That _was a spur of the moment thing; she came down here looking for me and saw me looking at hers and Kachie's stats. She ended up freaking out and having a sort of panic attack because she was reminded so much of the base, and she thought the worst. After I finally calmed her down, I had to explain what I was doing. I told her everything so she'd...well...be ok I guess. It's not like I could just lie to her."

Keichiro looked at him oddly, "When did this happen?"

Ryou shrugged, "The third night they were here...about a week ago. Since then she was all for the idea. I didn't intentionally include her; it was necessary."

Keichiro took a deep breath and nodded to himself, "Just...don't do it again. If something had gone wrong with chemicals and what-not, I wouldn't know what to do to clean it up or treat you since I wouldn't have known what you were up to. At least let me know next time, I know you're not a toddler that needs a parent around constantly, but even so..."

Ryou smirked to himself, "Sure, I'll let you know, oh great parent from the underworld."

Keichiro chuckled, "And don't you forget it you dumb brat."

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The end of the day couldn't have come any slower. Everyone constantly watched the clock, both with apprehension and a hint of excitement. Sure, they were going to confront the aliens in what was probably the most hopeless plan ever concocted, but they were still going to the coast to Mint's summer house for 'vacation.'

After Hekele had finished packing, she and Ryou had retreated to the basement to perform some security measures to the computer system. There was no telling if and when the military would find information leading them the cafe's computer files, and to the Mew Project. Fire walls, grid systems, and tracking systems were put into place, as well as a few 'door prizes' if the bad guys were able to get past the lines of defense.

Keichiro and Kachie had finished packing before the café opened so that they'd both be able to work in the kitchen still. Both of them were tense; they didn't know what to expect later on, and both were worried. The customers seemed especially vindictive that day as well...but maybe that was just their imagination. Three 'incorrect' orders within the first hour _was _normal...wasn't it?

The Mews felt the change in figurative atmosphere as well. Pudding wasn't doing tricks, Mint was actually working, Lettuce hadn't broken a single plate or glass, Zakuro didn't mixed up any orders, and Ichigo was dealing with the customers that tried to mess with her mind with calm dignity and an apology. Creepy and completely backwards, no?

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Pai looked on Serenity's monitor and narrowed his eyes. His computers detected a large concentration of the Mew Aqua, and it was out in the open. The only large concentration of Mew Aqua he knew of was in the Mews' possession, however, _this_ concentration was in some woods near the city.

"Kisshu, Taruto, you two should see this." The two aliens appeared next to him then, staring at the screen with mild interest.

"What is it Pai, did your precious computer break?" Kisshu asked in a bored manner. Pai glared at him.

"No, Kisshu, my so called 'precious' computer didn't malfunction; it's detected a large concentration of the Mew Aqua...in the woods near the city..." he replied cooly, clearly not liking Kisshu's disrespect towards him. Kisshu shrugged.

"And, your point being? The Mews have it, and in case you haven't noticed, we seem to fail at stealing it from them every time..." he said nonchalantly.

Taruto, however, picked up on Pai's reasoning, "It's a trap huh? Those stupid humans thought we'd fall for it..." Pai switched views on the monitor so that the exact location of the Mew Aqua was visible on the screen. There the Mews were, (including the two males, the dragon, and phoenix,) sitting out in the open, with the Mew Aqua, completely untransformed, and looking to the sky. The three aliens stared at the screen critically.

"You know Pai...I think those little goodie goodies want to talk to us," Kisshu suggested, an eyebrow raised. Taruto narrowed his eyes then.

"We ain't gonna, are we?" he asked. Pai stared at the screen for a long time, taking in the sight of their foes all sitting there, as if looking to and for the three of them. The expressions on their faces, their eyes mostly, stirred something in Pai that his logical mind wanted very much to dispel. He saw need in their faces, and he had never seen that in the group before...not like this. He closed his eyes in thought. Something had to be up, something the humans couldn't control, and for some reason, they sought the aliens help.

Kisshu also felt stirred by the image on the screen. He also saw the need in their faces, and he also saw hope. One face in particular, that of 'his' strawberry, (as he had long ago deemed Ichigo,) struck him close to home. Her eyes were pleading, all their eyes were. He had never seen them plead before, and had thought them too proud for him to ever see it. Something must be terribly wrong...and for the group to call upon the aliens, Kisshu had a feeling it might be bad for them too.

"We're going. Something's up with those wack jobs and it concerns us to some extent, or else they wouldn't let us know about a potential weakness...see my thought?" he asked, looking to Pai. Pai opened his eyes and nodded. Taruto groaned in irritation.

"Fine...so long as that annoying pipsqueak doesn't bug me..." he commented. He then teleported off the ship. Pai and Kisshu were less than a second behind.

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**Me-** Well, here you fine reviewers are! I was informed by a reviewer that the military wasn't doing much to get their 'weapons' back, and I would like to inform this very observant person that because of them, I decided to abandon most of what this chapter was about just to move my plot along...you are officially one chapter ahead plot development wise. Now... wants to freeze us authors for answering reviews in the story, so I shall refrain from mentioning this person by name so that he/she can't possibly get into trouble later. But I still salute this person! gives due credit to nameless reviewer

**Ryou-** Oh, and even though this is not a fic dedicated to me and Ichigo, Tweety Bird here wants everyone to know that she supports the '**Anti-Masaya Movement**.'

**Me-** That's right folks! I hate Masaya! Ichigo does not belong with him! She belongs with Ryou! But since that isn't going to happen in _this _fic...

**Ichigo-** Shhhh! You'll tell them our secret!

**Me-** Oh come on Ichigo, the reviewers aren't that dumb...they know what's gonna happen! Free kudos to the reviewer who can tell me how and what will happen to remove this insect from the picture!


	7. Chapter 7

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 7**

Hey guys! Hekele's back! Mwuahahahahahahahaha!

Ok, I know that was dumb...but who really cares? I am totally high on coffee right now...do forgive me...please...

Hey...have you guys ever noticed the distinct lack of reviewers in the _Tokyo Mew Mew_ stories? I swear! Hardly anyone seems to review over here...back in the Inuyasha area, ppl review all the time...but here it's rare! I think I'm gonna have to start something by reviewing to every TMM story I read...it's official...now, ladies and possible gentlemen, join my movement! Review once in a while! Lift a depressed author's spirit! Not just me...but other ppl too! You have no idea what it's like to go from tons of reviews in one forum to almost none in comparison in another one. I mean...it's kind of depressing to think that people don't care about your story enough to even give you a tip on how to improve it...You don't have to express your undying love for my story, or your undying hate, (please god not that last one,) but give me tips and ideas to make it better, or describe what you do like about it already...ok? Just try the idea on for size?

Disclaimer: I own no anime...yet...

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"So, you mind telling us what the deal is, goodie-goodies?" The group sitting in wait in the forest looked to their left and saw the aliens. Kisshu, the speaker, was sitting in a tree branch with, surprisingly, a look of concern on his usually teasing face. Pai was standing at the base of the tree with his arms crossed, staring at them suspiciously. Taruto stood near him with a look of annoyance on his features. He and Pai obviously still thought something was amiss, but at least Kisshu seemed to believe that their intentions weren't trickery.

"Something came up, and if you help us, we're willing to give you a piece of our Mew Aqua," Ryou said steadily, watching their movements. This captured the aliens attention.

"Part of your Mew Aqua? Are you trying to get us to go on a suicide mission or something?" Kisshu asked, hopping down from the tree. Ryou shook his head.

"Haven't you guys ever wondered where we found Hekele and Kachie? The phoenix and dragon? Well, the bastards we saved them from are looking for them now, and with the Mews always popping up to save the city from you guys, we have quite a bit of attention on us right now..."

Pai interjected, "You plan on bribing us to abandon our mission?" His voice held defiance, and anger. The Mews tensed; they needed to be prepared.

"No..." Ryou grounded out, "this would be a _temporary _truce. We plan on getting out of the city for around the month to lie low, and we can't have you attacking while we're gone now can we? So, we offer you part of the Mew Aqua, give you the location of our hideout so you can keep tabs on us, and you refrain from attacking anything while we're gone."

"I'm not sure we can make that sacrifice for just _part _of the Mew Aqua..." Pai said diplomatically.

"Please..." Everyone turned to Ichigo. "Look, this was my idea. I figured that since you guys want to restore this planet and seem to hate us humans because we're ruining it, you'd help us protect these two..." she said, motioning to a quiet Kachie and Hekele.

"Why would we want to protect your friends?" Taruto asked apathetically. Pudding glared at him.

"You wanted to take them from us for a reason na no da! If the bad guys get their hands on these two, you won't _ever _be able to get them na no da!" she retorted. Taruto stuck his tongue out at her.

"Look...you have no idea what these two have been through...they can't go back to that military base, living in test tubes, eating through IVs, getting tested constantly, and having no contact with the outside world...they've been held there since they were young...Kachie since she was seven and Hekele since she was a few months old. You can't possibly allow that to happen to them again can you? That's why we're leaving for a while, and why we want to call this temporary truce..." Lettuce pleaded. Pai looked her up and down critically, still not sure whether or not to believe them.

"We came here unarmed, we're willing to give up part of our Mew Aqua, _and _we're willing to tell you where we'll be. Doesn't that show that we're hanging ourselves out on the line here? We can't possibly double cross you without putting ourselves in an unimaginable situation. We are as much on the line as these two are; if the military finds Project Mew, they won't be the only ones in test tubes. We _all _need your help...we wouldn't have called for your help unless we knew we absolutely needed it...and we do...So, can't we cooperate? For now?" Zakuro asked, hopping down from her own perch in a tree and holding out her hand to Pai. Kisshu watched his comrade with interest; the likelihood of Pai agreeing to this idea was one in a million...

Pai stared long and hard at Zakuro, and then at the rest of the group. After a moment his eyes fell on Lettuce, and he reflected on her words and revelations. He was a bit surprised when she gave him a slightly encouraging smile, as if willing him to believe their story. Somehow, after that, he trusted them a bit more...

"...Where will you be hiding yourselves? We'll be popping in from time to time to protect our interests, and need to know where to find you so we can save ourselves the trouble of tracking you down the long way..." he said passively. Everyone's eyes lit up...except for Mint, who had just come to the realization that the aliens would be randomly appearing at her summer home at most likely the worst possible times. She only sighed in resignation as Pai and Zakuro shook hands, and as Ryou and Keichiro shook his and Kisshu's hands as well, as if to seal the deal.

Ryou sighed to himself, both with relief and worry. He took the Mew Aqua and stared at it for a second before getting ready to separate it into a decently sized chunk for the aliens; he couldn't let them feel gypped...that'd be too dangerous...

"Hold it human." Ryou looked up at Pai, who was shaking his head.

"We'll hold you to your word, and as proof of _our _loyalty to this agreement, keep the payment until after this is over with. It's our contribution so to speak..." he explained. Ryou gave him a sly look.

"I see even aliens know how to wheel and deal..." Pai smirked.

"You're more alien than we'll ever be..."

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"Why didn't I think this through before I offered my summer house?" Mint groaned as she sat in the van that Keichiro had rented. Ichigo smiled.

"Because you were caught up in the cause...why? Are you having second thoughts?" she asked slyly. Mint rolled her eyes.

"I didn't think the aliens would be popping in every now and then...which, knowing them...especially Kisshu...will be at the worst possible times...like..." she trailed off, leaving it up to Ichigo's imagination.

"...When we're dressing...showering...not paying attention...perfect...I think I see your point of view..." the strawberry realized, rolling her eyes. Hekele and Kachie shuddered as they piled in next to her.

"I sincerely hope you're mistaken...or else those aliens might have a few fires lit under their asses from time to time..." Hekele muttered. Ichigo tried not to laugh, but failed to stifle a giggle. Kachie smirked.

"And I'll just have to be nice and put out those fires with some good old-fashioned ice...nice big chunks of ice that will take hours to melt..." she added in. This time, even Mint laughed a bit.

"And what is so funny? Do you realize how crowded this van is going to be in ten seconds!" Ryou asked, irritated. As if on cue, Pudding shoved him into the van so that she could go sit in the last back seat. Ryou grumbled and Hekele, feeling pity, moved over to give him room. He shot her a thankful look and got into to seat quickly not wanting the approaching Lettuce and Zakuro to shove him further.

"Let's get a move on! The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll get there and be able to get some sleep!" Keichiro barked lightly as he got into the driver's seat. Zakuro, being quicker than Lettuce, managed to get the much less crowded front seat. Poor Lettuce was stuck between Pudding and Kachie, whom had immediately decided to play a game of I-Spy for the duration of the trip...

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"Ok! My turn again! I spy something..."

"Loud."

"Tireless."

"Pure evil."

"That likes ice."

"Is more blond than Tweety Bird..."

"Hey!"

"And is _very_ annoying..."

"Is it purple na no da?" Pudding asked, ignoring everyone else...just as she and Kachie had been doing for the past hour. Everyone, including Keichiro, sighed collectively and went back to what they had been doing, which in Keichiro's case, was driving on the actual road and not nearly colliding with stray signs on the highway. Ichigo and Mint were collaborating on a scheme to get Pudding and Kachie to stop playing I-Spy, which was proving fruitless; Zakuro, (who in her infinite boredom had switched seats with poor Lettuce at the last rest stop in an attempt to help her retain some semblance of sanity,) was attempting to read a book about controlling temper that she had picked up before the trip; Lettuce herself was enjoying the extra leg room up front while reading Macbeth for the third time that month; and Hekele and Ryou played 'War' with Ryou's deck of cards. In short, everyone was doing something to attempt to drown out Kachie and Pudding.

Not that it worked mind you, but it was a noble battle into the depths of insanity.

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It was late when the group ended up at Mint's summer home. Everyone was drop dead tired as they trudged up the stairs to the front door and went inside. The beautiful architecture did nothing for them in their sleepy stupor as they all made their way to whichever bedrooms they found first, and crashed for the night. They didn't even bother to retrieve their luggage from the van before entering dreamland.

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The aliens watched the Mews and their comrades all evening and into the night from the safety of 'Serenity,' and couldn't help but be a bit amused with the occurrences that took place. Kisshu had been especially interested when the girls had worried over when the aliens would pop up, but Pai and Taruto managed to beat the evil plan forming in his head right out before he even finished forming it. Little did they realize, he had not totally forgotten the idea.

It was when the Mews had all fallen asleep that the aliens switched their monitors back to Tokyo. They were rather interested in if the Mews were correct in that the military would be searching for the phoenix and dragon there, or even still, if they were being completely honest.

After about an hour's worth of scanning, the aliens picked up a large convoy heading into the city's outskirts under the cover of an unnatural darkness. The street lights in the area had all gone out, forcing the aliens to intensify their infra-red images. The convoy was massive, and it stopped and set up in a large building.

Pai frowned, "If that isn't them, then I'll let Kisshu have command for a week...and since that simply isn't going to happen-"

"Hey! What're you-"

"Ha, ha! Pai got you aga-"

"Shut up Taruto! I'm gonna-"

"-then I'm positive it's the so-called military that the Mews referred to...Kisshu, Taruto, Let's discover for ourselves the nature of this anomaly..."

"Uh...Pai?"

Pai groaned at the two, who were staring at him with looks of complete and utter confusion, "Let's _spy_ on them..."

"Gotcha..."

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The three aliens teleported to the roof of the building, making sure to keep low and out of sight. They shuffled over to a window silently and peered inside. There were humans in uniform everywhere. Many had weapons, but there were a large number in white coats that did not. From previous encounters, the aliens deduced that these people must be the scientists.

"Well I'll be damned...those goodie goodies were right after all..." Kisshu whispered as he stared at everything with sharp eyes, memorizing it. Pai was doing the same, while something else caught Taruto's attention.

"Pai, you're the scientist, what do you think those are for?" he asked, pointing to a group of very large glass containers. Pai's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Those would be the testing tubes Taruto...and there are _seven _of them..." he stressed. Kisshu's eyes narrowed as well as he came to the same realization as Pai.

"These little sneaks thought ahead...they don't know if their two escapees are here...but they know the Mews are supposed to be...so whether or not they get what they came for, they'll get something to show their boss to keep him happy...low-life scums..." he muttered, disgusted. Pai nodded.

"For once, Kisshu, I completely agree."

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"Ok, is everybody awake now na no da? I want to go to the beach na no da!" Pudding screeched happily. Kachie had managed to curl up next to Keichiro on Mint's couch, while the rest of the gang had sat either in one of the Lazy-boys or had plopped on the ground. None of them were as awake as Pudding, but then again, were they ever?

"Pudding...let us sleep! It's six in the morning! We didn't even get to sleep until eleven last night! And that was after a long day's work too!" Ichigo complained, laying back down on the carpet. Ryou, still tired, made no rude remark as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Pudding received similar responses from the rest of the gang and pouted.

"But I couldn't sleep anymore na no da! I desperately needed your attention so I woke you up na no da!"

Mint sighed, "We noticed...now leave us alone for a few more hours..."

Pudding pouted further and Ichigo groaned, "Just two more hours Pudding? At least we're all in one room this time...let us _sleep_..."

"Awe...is my little kitten still tired?" Ichigo shot straight up at that moment, causing Kisshu, who had appeared behind her, to laugh.

"Bad time kitten?" he asked. Ichigo groaned and plopped back down, not wanting to deal with him at that moment.

"A very bad time Kisshu...do you aliens _ever _sleep? I swear, you pop up at all hours!" she complained, rolling onto her face and yawning. Kisshu stared at her, surprised by her outburst and lack of a physical attack, before floating into a sitting position a few feet away from her.

"Well, we do need a little less sleep, but I can guarantee that I'm as tired as you are kitten; we were up all night watching the city for signs of your 'friends'."

Ryou opened his eyes then, "Find anything?" Kisshu nodded.

"Yep, they rolled in late last night, long after you all fell asleep. They killed the street lights for their entrance and everything...had a pretty big entourage too..."

Ichigo rolled over then, facing him, "It sounds like they've got a whole bunch of them there...they'll be finished searching the city in no time..." The rest of the Mews were looking at him then, waiting to hear more, and had Kisshu not been in an abnormally serious mood, he'd have enjoyed the added, non-hostile, attention.

"Afraid not kitten. These guys are in it for the long run..." he said regretfully. Keichiro looked at him sternly as he sat up straighter.

"What do you mean Kisshu? What did you three find out?" he asked. Kisshu hesitated, and bit his lip. It was not a sign the Mews were looking for.

"...You need to know that they've set up HQ in the city, and the search there will be the toughest, but they are all over the country; we picked them up on radar. My guess is, if they can't find what they're looking for within their search radius, they'll expand. You seem to be secure for now though...they haven't come close to this place yet...there's a safety zone of about forty miles minimum in any given direction from here.." he began. The group sensed there was more, however, and listed further in silence. Kisshu nibbled on his bottom lip for a second before continuing.

"They're gearing up for more than just these two," he said, motioning to Hekele and Kachie, "they've got enough equipment for all of you...testing tubes and all. They came to Tokyo knowing that you were there, and they intended from the start to go after you as well...you're in more trouble than you bargained for."

No one said a word. Everyone stared at the ground in silence, thinking things over. Kisshu decided quickly that the silence was unnerving, but he knew he should stay at least until Pai and Taruto arrived; the two were looking into getting images for the group at the moment. He snuck a look at Ichigo, and his ears drooped a bit involuntarily at her look of deep concern.

"Have no fear kitten; we're looking out for you. Nothing bad'll happen to you goodie goodies until the truce is over and done with," he said, jokingly. Mint looked at him critically.

"Why are you three sticking your necks out there for us? All we asked for was for you not to terrorize the city while we were away; we never asked for this..." she questioned. Kisshu shrugged, and was about to answer, when Pai did it for him.

"Because we've developed a distinct dislike for these idiots that transcends our hatred for you by tenfold; that's why," he said from Kisshu's side. Taruto appeared next to him. Both were holding files full of data that they had gathered.

"I'm beginning to not regret acting on Ichigo's idea..." Ryou muttered as Pai handed a folder to him.

"In there you'll find a list of all the cities they've assembled in; the first twenty are active, while the rest are waiting for orders from fully swept cities before beginning their own search..." he said. Taruto took the opportunity to hand Keichiro the other folder.

"And _this_ one has all the data we could gather last night on the Tokyo base. Complete with full color images, as well as a few infra-red..." he explained. Keichiro nodded and thanked him.

"We owe you so much right now...you've gone above and beyond our agreement...thank you..." he said, on behalf of everyone. Ryou tried not to roll his eyes at how corny it sounded, and nearly smirked when Kisshu did instead.

"Oh please...we're just trying to protect our interests here...like monkey-girl said yesterday; we can't get our hands on those two if these bimbos get them first. Take a look at their security...or what we've scouted out of it at least...it'd be _impossible _for us to teleport in undetected..." It was Keichiro's turn to roll his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to make breakfast for everyone...you three are welcome to join us if you like..." he offered, standing up and stretching a bit. Kachie followed suit.

"I'll help!" she said, trying to sound more awake than she was. Keichiro waited up for her and the two went off to the kitchen together.

Pai raised an eyebrow, "Does she always follow him like a missing canine?" Mint rolled her eyes this time.

"Lost dog; the term is, 'lost dog,' and yes, she does," she said, shaking her head at the alien. The two glared at each other for a moment before Pudding interrupted.

"Tar-Tar, wanna play cards na no da?" Pudding asked innocently. Taruto growled at her dangerously.

"For the thousandth time! Do not call me Tar-Tar!"

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Pai stared at the television and then looked at Lettuce, "I don't get it."

Lettuce watched the Coyote fly off a cliff and hold up a bunch of signs as he fell...and once he hit the ground, he left a Coyote shaped crater in the dirt, from which he emerged with a cast on his arm out of nowhere.

"What are you talking about? It's funny!" she said. Pai watched as the same Coyote used a rocket and set of hand crafted wings to fly after the Roadrunner, only to have the rocket stop functioning conveniently hundreds of feet above the ground. The Coyote stopped in mid air, waved, and plummeted to his doom, from which he emerged once more, with only a black eye and a cast on his leg.

"...That would never happen..." he said. Lettuce shook her head and snuggled into her corner of the couch.

"That's why it's called a cartoon Pai, it's not supposed to be realistic...it's supposed to be humorous...Oh look! Tweety Bird's on! Hekele!" she called over her shoulder. Hekele came running into the room out of nowhere and plopped on the couch next to Lettuce. Pai stared at them for a moment before Ryou appeared around the corner with a confused look on his face.

"What's going on? I thought we were playing cards." Hekele looked up at him apologetically.

"Sorry...but my show's on! See!" she pointed teasingly at the television. Ryou watched as Tweety Bird utilized the dog to chase off Sylvester...and maul him.

"Ha ha...very funny..." he muttered. Hekele pouted and grabbed his wrist, pulling him down next to her to watch the cartoon.

"You need to have more fun Sylvester...now...watch my cartoon counterpart get the better of you yet again!" she said in an evil tone. Obviously, breakfast and coffee had woken her up.

Pai stared at the two for a moment from his suddenly cramped end of the couch and shook his head, "Cartoon counterpart?" Hekele looked over at him and nodded.

"Uh-huh! He calls me Tweety Bird as a nickname because I'm the phoenix, so to irritate him, I call him Sylvester...that's the cat's name..." she explained as Sylvester got mauled by the dog once more after trying to use dynamite to blow his tail off.

"I see..." was all Pai said as he watched Ryou slap his head in annoyance. Lettuce laughed again and leaned her head on the couch's arm rest contently, happy for the peaceful time with the aliens. She wouldn't mention it to anyone else, but she had a feeling that their temporary truce was going to become permanent. She wasn't bothered by the idea one bit either.

"Hey...how about, in a couple of hours, Ichigo and I take Hekele and Kachie to get swim suits? Then we can all go to the beach! Or, if the aliens feel like sticking around, Mint's indoor pool! It'd be fun..." she suggested. Ryou looked to be thinking over the idea, and nodded.

"What do you think Tweety Bird?" he asked, looking over at her. Hekele's eyes lit up.

"That sounds great!" she said excitedly. She jumped up to go and tell Kachie about the idea, only to be pulled back onto the couch by Ryou.

Ryou grinned when she gave him a confused look, "Nope...you ditched me to watch cartoons, so now watch your precious cartoons..." Hekele stared at him for a moment, before glaring a bit, knowing that he was messing with her head again.

"You're mean..." she muttered. Ryou smirked.

"You started it..." he replied as he turned away from her to watch the television. Hekele sighed, knowing she was defeated, and turned to face the television. It was then that she realized that Ryou's arm was still around her from when he pulled her back onto the couch. Smiling a bit, she leaned lightly on his shoulder, only to feel him give her a small squeeze in return.

Pai watched the exchange with a bemused expression and quirked an eyebrow at Lettuce, who smiled and winked at him. He sighed and returned his gaze to the television, only to find a rabbit hop into a hole in the ground and come out of a tree, disguise himself as a woman, and seduce the hunter who was chasing him, only to end up tricking him into thinking that he had won an contest, shove him onto a train, which ended up at the North Pole, even though there are no locomotive routes leading into the Arctic.

"I still don't get it."

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"I refuse to leave this room! This is practically underwear!" Kachie complained from her dressing room. Ichigo and Lettuce laughed.

"It's ok! And I thought you were trying on a one piece Kachie, those aren't that bad..." Lettuce reasoned. Kachie could be heard grumbling.

"I refuse to leave this room with this scandalous thing on."

"Kachie-chan! Hurry up! I want a chance to try on my suit!" Hekele called to her.

"Bite me!"

"No, I'll burn you! Now hurry it up!"

"Oh yeah? I'll ice you and your fire!"

"Would you two stop drawing attention to yourselves? We're trying to keep you _hidden_ not _found_...got it?" Ichigo warned. Hekele narrowed her eyes at the door.

"Kachie-chan..."

"No!"

Ichigo sighed and looked at Lettuce, "Well, this has certainly been fun..." Lettuce smiled.

"I guess Kachie's more modest than we thought, oh well...you'd think it would be the other way around, since Hekele has never been swimming before..."

Hekele turned around. "Oh, we've both been swimming before, it was part of our exercises, and one or two of the tests. That's why our legs were able to adapt after a day or so walking with normal gravity instead of floating in liquid," she explained. Lettuce rolled her eyes.

"Well, at least you had that going for you..." she muttered. Hekele, however, hadn't heard her, and was instead attempting to get Kachie to show off her swim suit.

Lettuce thought for a moment before looking at the red head next to her, "Ichigo? Isn't it weird to have the aliens around so much? And for us to be on good terms with them?" Ichigo nodded.

"Definitely...those guys seem pretty normal after a while...despite how pale they are, their floating abilities, inability to have the oxygen choked out of them, and big pointy ears..." she consented. Lettuce smiled.

"What did Kisshu do?" she asked. Ichigo rolled her eyes.

"While you and Pai were watching cartoons, he was attempting to sweep me off my feet and scare the living day lights out of me...while I was still in my night gown!" she growled, "Then the stupid pervert tried to steal a kiss...again..."

Lettuce shook her head, "At least he doesn't grope you and ask you to bear his child."

Ichigo burst into laughter at that, "You watch _Inuyasha_? Wow...I didn't have you pegged as a fan..."

Lettuce rolled her eyes, "Kachie got me to watch it once...and now I'm hooked...I swear...she and Hekele are more human than we are!" Ichigo nodded.

"Sad isn't it?"

"Very..."

"We heard that!" both girls cried from the changing room area. Ichigo rolled her eyes.

"Kachie! Get out of there so we can see you and so Hekele can try hers on! You're as bad as a two-year-old!" That remark did it. Kachie emerged from the dressing room with her suit on. It was a cute royal blue one piece with a black ribbon tied just below her chest. It looked good on her.

"See? You look great! That suit works for you! Now go change back so that Hekele can try hers on," Ichigo praised. Lettuce nodded in agreement. Kachie blushed a bit and was about to return to the dressing room when Hekele burst in and locked the door behind her. Kachie stood there, shocked.

"Hekele-chan...this isn't funny Hekele-chan! Let me back in there so I can change back into my clothes..."

"Nope! You wouldn't get out, so I'm getting my revenge..."

Kachie was about to argue further, when a couple of guys walked past the group in the aisle. They took one look at Kachie in her suit and whistled, making her blush a whole new shade of crimson.

"Hekele-chan! Get out of there...Now!"

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"BUNZAI! Pudding screamed as she jumped into Mint's pool. Mint sat herself onto her pool chair and floated out to the center of the pool, being mindful of Zakuro diving from the diving board. Ichigo stood at the edge of the water defiantly, not wanting to get herself wet, but knowing that it was going to happen anyway. As if on cue, Kisshu appeared behind her and lifted her into the air by grabbing onto her waist.

""Kyyaahh! Kisshu! Put me down! Let go of me you perverted alien!" she screeched. Kisshu smirked as he whispered in her ear.

"Have it your way kitten..." Ichigo only had time to widen her eyes in realization before Kisshu promptly let go of her. However, Ichigo was quicker than he had anticipated, and she grabbed onto his ankle on the way down, not giving him enough time to adjust to the sudden weight and causing him to fall into the pool with her. When the two resurfaced, they were met by everyone's laughter. Ichigo turned beat red and hit Kisshu roughly on the head before swimming over to the edge of the pool, muttering about how stupid green-haired aliens needed to develop a maturity level. Kisshu only smirked at her.

"Nice one kitten...you caught me off guard...but it won't happen next time..." he purred. Ichigo flashed him a glare.

"Next time? Kisshu, if there's a next time, I'll have Hekele evaporate the water out from under you...I'll be fine; cats land on their feet...but you won't be so lucky..." she promised darkly. Kisshu pouted, but decided to leave her alone for a while.

Pudding and Taruto were having a race across the pool. Taruto was suspected of cheating during their first one, so Pudding made it a point of making him promise not to use his powers during the second. Lettuce and Pai had yet to go into the water, both more content with watching their comrades from the sidelines. Lettuce struck up a conversation about the differences between the aliens' technology and the technology on Earth, and Pai readily compared them with her. Intelligent conversation seemed to bring Pai into the group more, and Lettuce was happy to hear him say more than a sentence or two at a time. Hekele and Ryou were challenging Kachie and Keichiro to a game of chicken...in which due to Keichiro's height, they ended up losing and getting dunked...multiple times...

It wasn't long before Kisshu decided to strike again...by doing a cannon ball off of Mint's diving board and getting water everywhere...including on Pai and Lettuce. Lettuce, annoyed, took off her glasses and attempted to clean them as Pai glared daggers at his comrade.

"Kisshu...you _will _regret that...I guarantee it..." he muttered. Kisshu grinned at him.

"Whatever you say Pai...like you could do anything to me anyways..." he retorted boldly. Pai only raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that he could easily convince Ichigo and Taruto to torment Kisshu for him. Hell, after thinking about it, he knew that he could most likely get all of the humans in on it if he tried...

Pai smirked to himself, "We'll see about that..."

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It was interesting for the aliens to watch everyone about an hour after they all got out of the pool. Everyone, Kisshu and Taruto included, were quite tired. Lettuce had explained to an inquisitive Pai that it had to do with the chemicals that kept the pool clean. About an hour and a half after the group got out of the pool, they all ended up falling asleep.

Pai wasted no time in waking Ichigo up to begin his master plan. And after she had glared daggers at him for interrupting her cat-nap, he explained to both her and Lettuce his plan for tormenting Kisshu. Ichigo grinned evilly.

"My boyfriend would absolutely hate me for this...but if it's to get even with Kisshu...I'm in...what're we talking about...a few days...maybe a week of good acting?" she asked. Pai nodded and Ichigo smirked.

"How about Lettuce and I start us off with a more immediate prank? It'll take a day or so for me to smoothly, and more importantly, believably, blend into the role you need me to...and I'm sure some immediate vengeance would be nice..." she suggested. Pai's eyes shimmered a bit with mischief, something never seen before.

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

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It took an hour of very careful work, but Ichigo and Lettuce's little 'project' was a success. As they stepped back to admire their handiwork, Pai appeared from the kitchen juggling three small bowls of ice cream; Ichigo had told him where to find the cold treat. He looked at his second-in-command with a satisfying smile as he handed each of the girls their bowls vanilla of ice cream. The three of them sat on the couch with content expressions playing about their faces.

"You know Lettuce, I honestly didn't think you'd agree with my idea, much less actually help me..." Ichigo mused. Lettuce took a bite of her ice cream and grinned at her friend.

"There is much about me that you don't know Ichigo...one of them happens to be the fact that I too am an immature teenage girl when I feel the need to be..." she retorted. Ichigo nodded approvingly at her friend and sighed as she turned to look at Kisshu.

"Pai?" she asked. The alien looked up.

"Hm?"

Ichigo smiled broadly, "I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."

Pai smirked at her, and then joined her in gazing at Kisshu, "Indeed it may very well be..." Lettuce chuckled a bit and raised her bowl in the air.

"Cheers!" she said. Ichigo smiled gamely and Pai grinned a bit.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers..."

Little did our dear sleeping Kisshu realize that his world and the worlds of his comrades were fast going to become first a wondrous Heaven, a living Hell, and then a rather iffy in-between realm where the line between newly-formed friendships and past loyalties is drawn, tested, and broken; a realm where anything goes...including unexpected emotions towards 'sworn enemies'...

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**Me-** Ta da! It's a bit shorter than my usual ones, but it's still fourteen whole pages long...and I only took about a week to write it all! Aren't you so proud of me!

**Kachie-** Wow...now I have something to look forward to when I get home!

**Me-** Yeah...Kachie's in Florida until after Thanksgiving...watch out for that tropical storm will ya bud? I'd be devastated if anything happened to you or your aunt...

**Kachie-** Don't worry about me...worry about updating your _Inuyasha_ chapter quickly so that you can get back to this story!

**Me-** Lol...ok, since you asked me to! Oh, and to all of my reviewers, and Kachie, Happy Thanksgiving! May all of you get as doped up on tryptophane as me this Thursday! Oh, and if it snows on that day...Blame my friend Jessica...it's her birthday...

**Kachie-** Yep...it has snowed, for the past **_NINE_** years, on November 24th where we live...ever since she moved here...Hekele hates it...

**Me-** Oh well...I'll live..Happy Birthday Jessica! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving/B-day! You rock!

**Kachie-** Ok, now that we're done being sentimental...REVIEW!


	8. Chapter 8

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 8**

Heya! How art thou wondrous reviewers! I'm doing good! I fell asleep for two hours after eating...like...a whole crap load of turkey on Thanksgiving. Then I had a piece of pie...and when I got home, after watching a bunch of Inuyasha, I was asleep for god knows how long after that...like...seven hours of sleep...that's more than I get in two days normally...wow.

Kachie's back from Florida! She bought me an adorable flamingo stuffed animal, and she bought me a HUGE Sesshoumaru wall scroll. I swear...I can die happy...BUT, that would leave you guys without this wonderful story to read, (lol, wonderful my ass,) and so I shall live...woot!

**Disclaimer:** Okie dokie...I hope none of you ppl actually think I own this...cuz I don't...(duh...)

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Kisshu yawned a bit and stretched. He couldn't believe that he had fallen asleep while in enemy territory. Sure, there was a truce going on between them, but that didn't mean that he could let his guard down. He sat up and looked around; Pai, Ichigo, and Lettuce were awake, just perfect...

"Getting awfully comfortable aren't we Kisshu?" Pai asked slyly. Kisshu glared at him.

"Awe shut-up Pai, at least I'm not eating ice cream with mindless teenage goodie goodies..." he retorted. Pai rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say fool...at least I don't fall asleep while someone's plotting against me...I wait until after you and Taruto attempt and fail multiple times, then when you've tuckered yourselves out, I rest easy," he said. Kisshu yawned and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes.

"Whatever...like I said before, you can't touch me..." he replied lazily. Ichigo and Lettuce giggled.

"Think what you want Kisshu..." Ichigo said mysteriously. Kisshu opened an inquisitive eye at her before shrugging and yawning again, too tired to think too hard. Lettuce couldn't help but laugh openly.

"Kisshu, you should...you know what, never mind, ignore me..." she said, shaking her head. Why ruin everyone's fun for his personal dignity? This was Kisshu after all...

Kisshu looked at her for a moment, "Captain Goodie herself was about to give me advice wasn't she? Well, for your information, I don't need the advice of a _human_..." Ichigo couldn't stand it any longer; staring at Kisshu for so long had taken its toll on her, and she burst into laughter. She grabbed her cell phone and held it out in front of her and took a picture of Kisshu, only causing her to laugh further. She showed Pai the phone and he chuckled when he saw the photo.

Kisshu growled, "What exactly is so funny! Is there something wrong with my face or are you just going insane?" This only caused Ichigo to laugh harder, and to fall off of the couch. Lettuce joined in soon after, and Pai had to fight his own urge to do the same.

Mint yawned and stretched from her spot in a chair as she sat up fully, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out, "What the hell is so funny? I need my beauty sleep!" After a moment's pause, even Pai lost it this time. The three on the couch just kept laughing and laughing. Mint stared at them for a long moment.

"Ooookaay...you've officially freaked me out now..." she said, shaking her head. Ichigo tried to control herself.

"Pai...we...Kisshu...FACE!" was all she got out before falling prey to her fit of laughter once more. Mint blinked a few times before looking at Kisshu, to see what was so funny. Her eyes got wide.

"What is so damn funny? They've been laughing at me since I woke up!" Kisshu complained. Mint bit her lip to keep from laughing, but her resolve was short lived. She too fell under the spell of laughter and was hunched over in her chair trying to get air. Kisshu growled and stood up.

"Stupid goodie-goodies...I'll see what's so damn funny..." he mumbled, heading towards the bathroom to see a mirror. Mint gasped for air as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Did you..." Ichigo nodded and held up her phone, showing Mint the picture. It sent the girl into another fit of laughter.

Suddenly, a loud yell was heard from the bathroom, effectively waking up the rest of the group from their nap with a start. It was followed by, "I'm gonna get you Pai! And you too Ichigo! This has deranged kitty written all over it!"

All Ichigo did was smirk, "Mrow...?"

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"Kisshu..."

"Shut it."

Lettuce gave him a sympathetic smile, "Kisshu, it's not that big a-"

"You too! Shut it! I can't believe that I had Captain Goodie plot against me in my sleep...a deranged cat-girl and Pai is bad enough..." he muttered darkly. Ichigo pouted playfully and moved to sit next to him when he abruptly disappeared and reappeared to the kitchen. Kachie's surprised screech and Keichiro's yell gave him away.

"You know Ichigo..." Lettuce began, "We may have gone a bit far with the clown make-up...he seems pretty upset..." Ichigo sighed and nodded a bit. Ryou walked into the room and stretched a bit, still a little tired. Hekele followed a few seconds later.

"Personally, I thought it was hilarious...you save that picture strawberry?" Ryou asked. Ichigo smiled and nodded.

"Yeah...but I think I might delete it...as a peace offering...I think Lettuce is right in that we went too far..." she admitted. Pai, who was still on the couch, scowled.

"Trust me, with all the antics he's involved in...he deserves it..." he stated. Hekele sat in a chair nearby and shrugged.

"Maybe those two are right...it seems like Kisshu has hurt feelings...I mean...he's been sulking for an hour..." she said. Pai grumbled a bit but nodded. He was about to say something when Taruto came running into the room, yelling at the top of his lungs. He was followed closely by Pudding, who was spraying silly-string at him relentlessly. Taruto ran a couple of circles around Pai, effectively getting him sprayed with the annoying stuff, and then kept running around the room before finally heading out another door and eventually into the kitchen; Kisshu, Kachie, and Keichiro were all yelling and pots and pans could be heard clanging in the distance. Eventually, the group in the living room heard a disappointed , 'awww,' followed by an equally disappointed 'it's empty'.

Ryou blinked a bit, "Well, you don't see that every day..." Lettuce looked at Pai and giggled a bit, trying to contain her laughter. Ichigo however, not missing a beat, snapped a picture of him with her phone.

Pai grumbled, "Why exactly did you do that?" Ichigo offered him a sympathetic smile.

"For the good of evil...and making it up to Kisshu..." she joked lightly. Pai snorted.

"Same thing if you ask me..." he retorted. Ichigo smiled a bit wider and headed for the kitchen to see Kisshu, ignoring the glaring alien at her back. Ryou and Hekele looked around nervously, not really wanting to stay in the same area as an annoyed Pai.

"So...Tweety Bird...what do you want to do?" he asked. Taking the hint, Hekele answered him.

"Lets...go for a walk...and we can bring Pudding and Taruto too...if we can get him to wear a bandanna over his ears or something..." she answered. Ryou looked at her oddly.

"And why would we want to do that?" he asked. Hekele grinned.

"Entertainment purposes...Pudding bought a set of small water guns at one of the rest stops on the way here..."

"Ahh...well, let get those two and get going..." Ryou replied. Hekele didn't object and followed his already retreating form to locate the two young trouble-makers.

Pai and Lettuce were left standing there, alone, and Pai looked rather annoyed. His eye twitched slightly, a sign of annoyance not usually shown. He had half a mind to go after the two younger ones and dunk them in Mint's pool, but knew that it was too late now. He felt movement and looked down at Lettuce, who was pulling some of the silly string off of his shoulder.

She smiled at him shyly, turning a bit pink, "Here, let me help you get this junk off."

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"Kisshu..."

"Leave me alone Ichigo..." was his reply. Ichigo sighed and sat next to him, looking straight ahead. She had not found him in the kitchen, but on Mint's balcony off of the upstairs recreation room. Apparently, after also being bombarded with silly-string, he had retreated there. Ichigo pulled a little clump of the said stuff out of his hair and tossed it to the ground below, earning a slightly confused look from Kisshu. She pulled out her phone and flipped the her picture of him and his 'make-over'.

"I'm deleting the picture Kisshu...you can even see for yourself..." she said, holding it up and hitting the delete button. The picture vanished before his eyes, but he didn't say anything, still feeling a bit hurt by the extent of the prank. Ichigo sighed once more and flipped the picture to the one she had gotten of Pai. Kisshu couldn't help but smirk when she showed him.

"Peace?" she asked innocently. Kisshu rolled his eyes a bit and looked away. Ichigo narrowed her eyes at him a bit.

"You know, you started it, and I'm not apologizing...all those times you kissed or tried to kiss me, all the times you attacked me, all the times you tried to steal the Mew Aqua from us, and all of your pranks on top of that...I'd say you deserved a good joke to be played on you...I'm not saying sorry for getting even..." she informed, looking away from him defiantly. Sensing her rising annoyance with him, Kisshu looked over at her from the corner of his eye.

He wasn't really mad anymore, just supremely annoyed. He knew that he had it coming, but did they really have to make him look _that_ ridiculous? He could probably have handled his hair being put into five creepy braids, the glitter they also had put in his hair, definitely the smelly perfume, and perhaps even a tiny bit of make-up, but doing _all_ of that plus _clown make-up_? Definitely not. He would stand by the fact that no man, human or alien, deserved that kind of torture, no matter what pranks he had pulled in the past.

"I'm not forgiving you kitten; no male of any species deserves that kind of humiliation...I owe you complete and utter embarrassment...and I intend to pay up before this little truce of ours is up..." he swore. The smiled that had steadily formed on Ichigo's face dropped a bit, once more confusing Kisshu.

"So...you think that after this whole thing, despite how we're all getting closer to one another, we'll still end up fighting in the end?" she asked, a bit sadly. Kisshu sighed softly.

"We have a world to save kitten...a whole race to bring back here...and we can't do that while dangerously prejudice humans are waltzing around an already over-populated and dying world now can we?" he asked. Ichigo looked down.

"And we can't let you wipe out an entire planet of people so that you can do all that..." she whispered. Kisshu nodded.

"I know kitten...and that's why we're going to keep fighting...both our sides will do what we need to do to succeed in our mission...and the stronger will win, and the weaker will die..." he stated. Somehow, saying the words seemed to depress him, like he knew that he was right, but didn't want to be. Kisshu idly wondered if Pai or Taruto had thought about this yet, seeing as he knew that they were integrating quickly into the group, even though they had no intention to do so in the beginning.

Kisshu had thought about this topic many a time, ironically because of the cat-girl in front of him. He had fallen in love with her, he knew, after their first battle. The first time they had met, (and the first time he had stolen a kiss,) he had only wanted to tease her, but after their first battle she had grown on him almost instantly. It wasn't until later that he realized that he actually had fallen for her, but once he had figured it out, he knew that he had all along.

But she had her 'precious' Aoyama-kun, whom Kisshu knew she loved dearly. And though he hated the pretty-boy bastard with a potency until now not yet explored, Kisshu loved Ichigo too much to take him away from her...

Sighing once more, Kisshu turned to Ichigo, looking her in the eye, "I can promise you something though..." Ichigo looked at him oddly.

"What's that Kisshu?" she asked, just above a whisper, not being able to elevate her voice any more than that. Kisshu smiled at her, sadness dancing in his eyes, though for what, Ichigo wasn't exactly sure.

"No matter what happens; I'll be sorry kitten." With that, Kisshu pecked her lightly on the cheek and transported himself back to Serenity, bent on getting away from his current distraction for a few hours. He'd check up on the 'bad guys' while he was at it...

Ichigo sat in the same spot on the balcony, her hand lightly touching her cheek in confusion. Kisshu always tried kissing her, (most of the time succeeding,) but he never kissed her on the cheek...never. He was always being a piggish pervert and going right for her lips, but not this time. And maybe it was the honest remorse dancing in his eyes as he had spoken to her, but she wasn't upset with him either...she just couldn't bring herself to be...

She felt her heart beating in her chest with an odd intensity, one usually only reserved for Masaya, and Ichigo looked to the sky in confusion.

_Why's my heart beating like this...for him?_

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"I officially quit...I'm ordering pizza."

Kachie looked up at Keichiro and smiled as she grabbed the mop from the broom closet to clean the mess up with, "Don't be silly...we'll get the remnants of our first attempt cleaned up in no time and can try to cook lunch again in peace...Kisshu, Taruto, and Pudding didn't disrupt us _that _much..."

Keichiro looked at the massive puddle of what was once a huge pot of French Onion soup and nodded firmly, "I'm ordering pizza, and quite frankly, if the aliens don't end up liking it; tough..."

Kachie smiled as she diligently mopped up the soup, "Quitter..." Keichiro shrugged.

"Well, if shoe fits..." he muttered lightly, causing Kachie to laugh.

"Keichiro-kun...stop putting yourself down and order the stupid pizza...I'll be done here in a minute..." she said. Keichiro smiled slightly at her and grabbed the phone and phone book.

"Whatever you say Kachie-chan..." he said jokingly, giving her a mock salute. Kachie rolled her eyes at him as he began looking for the number. Keichiro smiled as he did so; maybe he'd take her out again soon...he liked the idea of spending more time alone with her. It was hard for him to hug her and hold her hand while around their friends, and he didn't quite understand it.

_Wow...have I been with these guys so long that I've forgotten what it was like to have a private life? I actually feel sneaky...and there's absolutely no reason to feel that way..._ he told himself, shaking his head. He found the number for the nearest pizza place and ordered a few different pizzas for the group. If they argued about the toppings, they could pull off the ones they didn't like themselves...

As he hung up the phone, Keichiro's eyes drifted to Kachie, and he smiled once more. Maybe...he'd take her out that very night. Their last date had been ruined by the very news that led to this whole thing...maybe he could make up for it.

"Kachie-chan?" he asked her. Kachie looked up from where she was rinsing the mop out.

"Hm? What is it Keichiro-kun?" she replied. Keichiro smiled.

"...Would you be interested on going out to eat with me tonight? I'm sure the group can fend for themselves for the night...there's enough of them to pop popcorn or something..." he joked. Kachie giggled a bit and blushed.

"...Sure...I'd like that..." she said. Keichiro's smile turned into a broad grin, thrilled that she had accepted.

"Wonderful...then I shall utilize the best restaurant research tool I can think of to find us a nice place to go..." Kachie smiled.

"And what exactly is this tool? A pointed forefinger hovering above the phone book's restaurant directory with closed eyes and a random choice?" she asked teasingly. Keichiro feigned an insulted voice.

"Never something so simple my dear...I'm going to pester Mint until she tells me where the best places are...she's bound to have eaten in all of them at least once..." he admitted. Kachie smiled and shook her head.

"Well, that's true...and if it works...then why not?" she conceded.

Keichiro smiled at her, "Precisely...now, lets set the table for those pizzas...they'll be here in fifteen minutes..."

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Taruto was once again running from Pudding, only this time because he was being sprayed with water from her two squirt guns. Ryou idly watched the insanity from his spot next to Hekele; the two younger kids really were a good source of entertainment...

He and Hekele were walking casually along the beach; Hekele had never seen it before, and Ryou had figured that it'd be a nice place for their walk. He couldn't help but smile softly at her awe in the vast ocean and seemingly miles of coastline.

"Pretty nice huh Tweety Bird? See what you've been missing?" he asked rhetorically. Hekele nodded a bit as she breathed in the salty smell of the ocean.

"It's wonderful out here...everything's so beautiful..." she said, looking around once more. There weren't many people about, probably because of the hot noon sun, so the group had the beach virtually to themselves. Taruto came running back towards Ryou and Hekele, with Pudding in close pursuit, still yelling his head off.

"Pudding! You baka! That stings! Quit filling those up with salt water!" he complained as he hid behind Hekele and Ryou, using the older two as a shield. Hekele squealed a bit as she got hit with the water, and Ryou declared that it was every person for themself. He took off in another direction and left Hekele standing there. Taruto also ran away, leaving a not semi-soaked Hekele glaring at a playful Pudding. After a thirty second stand-off, Pudding held out one of her toy guns to Hekele.

"Peace na no da?" she asked timidly, her eyes shining with an evil plan. Hekele picke dup on this and took the squirt-gun.

"Peace...now let's get those chickens..." With that, she and Pudding took off after the boys, who had stopped their fleeing in order to figure out what was going on. After seeing Hekele charging at them with one of Pudding's toys, Ryou ran as far as he could from Taruto. He figured that Hekele was after him because he had been the one to get her wet, but instead, she came after Ryou. After cursing mildly, he tried to put as much distance between them as possible, recalling how fast she was.

It didn't work for long, for after a minute or so, he began to feel his back be pelted with water. Getting and idea, he stopped suddenly and turned around, just in time for Hekele to nearly collide with him. In one quick, fluid motion, Ryou swung her over his shoulder, making her drop her squirt-gun. He carefully bent over and picked it up, making sure not to drop the kicking and squealing girl.

"Ryou-san! Put me down! Come on!" she complained, trying to get off of his shoulder. He only smiled at her an squirted the back of her head with the toy.

"Nope...it's retribution time..." he declared firmly. Hekele's eyes got wide.

"Retribution? You started it! You ditched me to keep yourself dry!"

"_After_ saying that it was every man for himself..." he corrected. Hekele managed to hit him on the back of the head lightly.

"First of all, you said that _after_ you took off...second, you didn't say anything about women being in it alone...your quote clearly said man, it said nothing about female participants!" she countered. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw water below her; Ryou had taken her to the water's edge.

"Ryou...I'm warning you...do NOT drop me in the water! I swear...I'll-" Ryou cut her off.

"You'll what? Tell on me? I'm so scared Tweety Bird..." he said sarcastically, stopping knee deep in the water. He could feel Hekele looking around frantically, hoping for either Taruto or Pudding to save her.

"Ryou...please don't drop me in the water...please? I promise I'll never squirt you with water again...just don't get me soaked..." she pleaded. Ryou smirked. He swiftly swung her down from his shoulder. Hekele screamed and shut her eyes, grabbing Ryou's neck; trying anything to stay dry. It wasn't until she heard Ryou chuckling that she realized that she wasn't wet, and opened her eyes.

Ryou was smirking from ear to ear as he held her a good inch about the water line; he had effectively frightened her with his sudden motion. He idly realized that it was a good thing that he hadn't actually intended to drop her; if he had, he'd have been as soaked as her.

"Baka Tweety Bird...if I was that annoyed with those stupid squirt guns...do you honestly think I'd risk getting completely soaked by dropping you into the ocean?" he asked, amused. Hekele nodded.

"Yes...yes Ryou, I do..." she admitted honestly. Ryou made a surprised face and sighed. He straightened his body so that he was standing completely upright, and was about to let her down. However, a loud yelling from above them distracted the two...

"Bombs away!" Taruto had just released Pudding from his hold of her from a good ten feet above the two teens in the water, and there wasn't enough time to move before the inevitable happened...

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Lettuce and Mint were laughing their heads off when Ryou, Hekele, and Pudding had come through the door. Taruto had transported ahead of the group out of fear for his life at the looks of pure evil that had radiated from Hekele and Ryou at Pudding and himself. Pudding was completely unfazed, however, and had walked home with the two.

Kachie and Keichiro walked out of the dining room, where they had been setting up the pizza boxes, when they heard all the noise. Neither of them could suppress their laughter when they caught sight of the two. Both of them were dripping on the floor, soaked to the bone, and very, very angry. Pudding, finally getting the hint, made a mad dash for the door, deciding to play outside. Taruto, not wanting to potentially die, did the same.

Keichiro grabbed towels for the two as he tried to remain in control of himself, "What on earth did those kids do to you two?" Ryou growled.

"I was threatening to throw Tweety into the ocean for getting me with Pudding's squirt gun, but I wasn't really going to... and while in knee deep water, the little cretins transport ten feet above us and Taruto drops Pudding on our heads...which was apparently her plan all along..." he grumbled out. Mint had to stifle another fit of laughter.

"That's wonderful...I wish I had been there to see it..." she admitted. Hekele scowled as she made her way upstairs to her room to change.

"It wasn't funny..." she groused. Ryou followed suit and went to his room as well, wanting to get into some dry clothes, and away from his friends for the moment before one of them asked how he had gotten Hekele knee deep into the ocean if she didn't want to get wet.

Pai, ever the inquisitive one, turned to Lettuce after he had left, "How much do you want to bet that he carried her into the water kicking and screaming?" Lettuce smiled softly.

"I think you're right...he certainly left in a hurry...he probably wanted for us to drop it and not think this far into the incident..."

Pai shook his head, "He doesn't know us well enough does he?"

Keichiro looked at the two of them and grinned, "Sadly, no; now go and get your pizza before it gets cold and I have to reheat it in the oven!"

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Zakuro sighed as she looked across the coffee table at Pudding and Taruto. She had been uncharacteristically suckered into a game of Go-Fish, and she was losing to both of the kids. Pudding took one of her kings and slapped down her final pair, thus winning her third straight round. This sent Taruto into another tantrum in which he accused her of cheating in which Zakuro refused to involve herself with. And after mentally deciding to never have children, she grabbed the remote from the couch and flipped through the channels. After settling on a news channel, she and the kids began their tenth round of the game, which Zakuro expected to lose once more.

Hekele and Kachie joined them a few minutes later and were watching the news from the couch, as were Pai and Lettuce. Lettuce was currently trying to talk Pai into doing something other than sitting on the couch all day, and Pai was mulling over his options. Seeing as 'his' couch kept getting crowded, he eventually agreed to play ping pong with Lettuce.

_ The military has issued two missing person campaigns that are being conducted in various cities across the nation; it is not being said why these two girls are of interest to the military, or who exactly they are. All that has been given to the media are descriptions of the two. Both females are approximately sixteen years of age. One is of Chinese origin and has silver streaks in medium length black hair with brown eyes. She usually wears contacts to make it appear as though there are also specks of silver in the eye color. The other female has short blond hair with red flames and has blue eyes. She also wears contacts that alter her eye color; red will usually be seen mixed with the blue. For a list of cities currently being searched for the two females, watch the bottom of your screen. If you have taken in these girls to your home, turn them over to the proper officials immediately... _

All motion in the room stopped; it was hard to tell if anyone was even breathing it was so silent. Pai and Lettuce had heard the news bulletin from the room over and were standing in one of the doorways with wide eyes turned to the television. They couldn't believe what they had just seen and heard. Apparently, the military was putting on a more proactive approach than the group had originally thought.

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"I can't believe that they're doing this...doesn't it put them at risk?" Ichigo asked as she walked through the drug store with Lettuce. They were on the mission to get some hair dye for Hekele and Kachie, while Zakuro and Mint were hunting for colored contacts at another store.

Lettuce shrugged sadly, "Well...yes and no. I guess there were bound to be people who would find out about their temporary bases. If they come out and give an excuse now...then they're covered, and this way, they've got the media on their side as well..." Ichigo sighed and nodded. Lettuce noticed this and took the initiative.

"Ichigo...you've been out of it all day...what's wrong? You've been like this ever since you apologized to Kisshu..." she prodded lightly.

Ichigo sighed, "It's just something he said...I mean...can you picture us fighting after this whole thing is over? He's convinced that we will..." Lettuce lowered her gaze.

"So...he's not really being more friendly...just acting? I wonder if Pai and Taruto are too..." Ichigo shook her head.

"He seemed really upset when he said it...He went on about how they'd still have to complete their mission, and how we would need to stop them, and that would be why we would keep fighting...and then afterwards...he said something else..." she elaborated a bit, not wanting Lettuce to get the wrong idea. Lettuce looked at her curiously.

"And what was that?" she questioned. Ichigo sighed.

"He told me that...no matter what happens...either way...he'll be sorry," she said. Lettuce smiled softly to herself, having an idea as to what Kisshu had met.

Instead of going off on her hunch, she asked a more sociably acceptable question, "And let me guess, he ruined the peaceful, if not sad, moment by trying to kiss you again. Am I right?"

Ichigo blushed lightly and touched her cheek absently, "Yeah...the lil perv..." She said it with less conviction than she wanted to though, and Lettuce picked up on it.

_Good God...she's falling for him isn't she? How ironic that the one person she's all but sworn to hate ends up worming a way in that backwards heart of hers..._ she thought as she mentally shook her head. But she was one to talk; she herself was getting extremely fond of Pai. He was very intelligent, and fun to talk to, at least to Lettuce anyway.

"Earth to Lettuce...you're passing the hair care aisle...you awake in there?"

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"Kachie-chan...it's not bad at all..." Keichiro said as he looked over Kachie's new appearance. She was sore about having to dye her hair all black, and to have to wear contacts to make her eyes look normal. Keichiro himself already missed her old appearance, because though it was different, it was still his Kachie.

In truth, she looked lovely either way, but he himself preferred her regular streaked hair and silver speckled eyes. He lightly ruffled her hair, careful not to mess it up too much, and was delighted to see her smile a bit. The two were still going out to eat; Keichiro had thought that it would be good for her to get out and about for an hour or two.

Kachie sighed and shook her head, "I've been different since I was born Keichiro-kun...I've grown attached to that fact rather than resentful...and it feels odd to suddenly pretend to be someone I'm not." Keichiro smiled at her lightly.

"Then don't pretend to be another person...just think of this as a temporary disguise...not a permanent altercation..." he tried. Kachie sighed once more and nodded.

"I don't really have a choice now do I? It's either this or be locked up inside for the rest of my known life..." she admitted. Keichiro softened his gaze at her and took her hand gently in his.

"Kachie-chan...please do not be so sad...you're still you, and that's all that matters. Now come on...let's get out of this house and get you some good, not-so fast, food. I don't want you getting attached to mere pizza..." he joked lightly. Kachie blushed a bit and nodded.

"Maybe it's not so bad...I guess I'll have to get used to it anyway..." she nodded to herself firmly, making a mental resolution to stop complaining, before speaking once more, "Ok...let's get going...getting out will definitely help..."

Keichiro grinned at her a bit before placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, "Atta girl..." Kachie blushed five shades of red as he led her out the door by the hand. Keichiro was smiling the whole time.

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"Your hair's fine Tweety Bird...if anything, you look more like your name's sake...same goes for the eyes..." Ryou tried, poking a sulking Hekele in the arm. Lettuce looked over at the girl and sighed.

"Hekele...I know it'll take some getting used to, but trust us...you look fine..." she added hopefully. Neither Hekele or Kachie had taken to having to change their looks, but Lettuce suspected that it was more based on principle than simply being unreasonable.

Hekele shook her head, "It's not that...It's just that...well...we came out here thinking that we would be safe...and now this happens...I just don't see the point..." Mint, who was drinking tea next to the girl, gave her a startled look.

"What do you mean you don't see the point? The point is to keep you two blended in and safe..." she said slowly, looking at her friend.

Hekele smiled softly, "...and when they get desperate enough to actually show our pictures on television? Then to keep us safe we'll be locked up inside...and then they'll search door to door...and eventually...they'll find us..." Pai, Zakuro, Lettuce, Mint, Pudding, Taruto, and Ryou just stared at her. Ichigo did as well, but her silence didn't accompany the uncomfortable subject.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, 'cuz I'm pretty sure we can outsmart these idiots. We've got two geniuses, five genetically altered super heros, and three aliens on our side; _they_ have guns and tanks, big whup," she said casually. Hekele glared at her a bit.

"_And _hundreds of computers, _and _vast intelligence operations, _and _public support, _and_ millions of dollars in funding..._and _I'm pretty sure that they've got more than two geniuses...Let's face it, we're out-numbered, out-gunned, and out of public favor; no matter the valiant fight, we'll end up losing the war..." she said sadly. No one spoke for a few minutes, not knowing what to say. Ichigo was visibly trying to come up with a counter argument, but even she couldn't just blow off Hekele's train of logic.

Ryou, however, took a different approach. Standing up, he lightly pulled Hekele up with him, surprising the girl. "Come on Tweety Bird...you've been cooped up too long if you're thinking _that _far off your hinges...we're going out for a bit..." he stated, leaving no room for question. Hekele, confused, obliged and Ryou led her to the door. After getting their jackets and bidding a quick farewell to their equally confused friends, they left, Ryou leading Hekele by the wrist.

The rest of the group just sat there awkwardly. Pudding was the first to speak, "What just happened na no da?"

Taruto looked at her and shrugged, "Who knows...old people are weird..."

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"Damn...where are Pai and Taruto? I figured that they'd be up here by now..." Kisshu cursed lightly. He hadn't wanted to spend all day on Serenity alone, but he wasn't quite sure if it was safe to head back down to Earth yet. After all, Ichigo was probably still reeling about his little peck on the cheek; she was always pissed off when he pulled crap like that...

Kisshu made his way over to Pai's computer, deciding to check up of the military once more. He had done so as soon as he had returned to the ship, but not once since then. He had located a new make-shift base within forty miles of the group. It worried him a bit, but as with most of the bases in that radius, it wasn't active.

_Hold it...'most' of the bases... _Kisshu quickly took another look at the computer screen and brought up an image of the active bases from when he had first arrived back on the ship. There were five out of sixteen active bases within the forty miles...there had been none earlier. He pulled up a wider image, showing all the bases in Japan, and to his astonishment, some of the ones from farther away had packed up, and weren't there at all. It was then that he noticed a large concentration of bases clustered in a circle, and his eyes widened in horror.

_These bastards are good...but now our dear goodie goodies are trapped..._ Kisshu gathered a file of the new data and transported himself to Earth, right in the middle of Mint's table, where the group sat playing Rummy.

After yelling in surprise and nearly falling over, a very disgruntled Mint addressed him, "What the hell was that about! Can't you appear off to the side a few feet?" Kisshu glared at her and tossed Pai the files as he hopped off the table.

"We've got serious problems...the military's running around like headless chickens and packing up their bases..." he said urgently. Zakuro raised an eyebrow at him.

"I hate to ask a stupid question, but isn't that a _good_ thing?" she questioned. Kisshu shook his head and Pai answered.

"They're relocating...towards us..." Kisshu nodded.

"There are sixteen bases within the forty mile radius we mentioned earlier...five of them have already become active, and with all these other ones moving around, I'm sure more will..." he explained. Ichigo bit her lip.

"They've found us? So soon?"

Pai shook his head, "Not likely...they wouldn't send out a force like this and relocate all their men if they had found you...now, if they were given difficulty...they most certainly would. They do, however, seem to know that you are within this vicinity...they must have implemented tracking nodes within the two..."

Lettuce thought for a moment, "But...why now? If they had the ability to track them...then why didn't they sooner, while we were back in Tokyo?"

Pai paused for a moment, before shaking his head, "Two possible reasons...One: They figured that they were in Tokyo after tracking them, and were just taking their time with a subtle approach. Two: they were coming after you five all along as well and wanted to be prepared before charging in there."

Kisshu, snapped his fingers suddenly, "Those nodes are likely to be sensitive aren't they Pai? Easily damaged?" Pai nodded slowly and he continued, "Well, when they used their powers on me that day I told you about...their body temperatures probably changed drastically as they used their powers...wouldn't that damage the nodes?" Pai nodded to himself seeing where Kisshu was going with his supposition.

"The nodes were damaged by the extreme and rapid change of temperature in their bodies and so is no longer accurate...so the military knows that they are within the forty mile radius they are gathering around, but not where within it..." he thought aloud. Lettuce nodded.

"Their powers grew a little out of control after Kisshu left that day...Hekele actually lit on fire...and Kachie lost grip as well...and then there was that time at the carnival...that definitely did the damage if nothing else..." she offered, carefully avoiding the fact that the aliens had been the cause on both occasions.

Ichigo looked at the two aliens after a moment's worth of thought, "So...what do we do now?"

Kisshu and Pai looked at one another, contemplating their options. "Where are they? Hekele and Kachie?" Kisshu asked. Pai shook his head.

"Out...with the resident geniuses...Kachie and Keichiro won't likely be back for a few hours...and who knows when the other two will return..."

Kisshu swore under his breath, and then looked at Pai, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Pai sighed dejectedly, but nodded.

"Unfortunately...yes...we might have to relocate them for a few days once they return..."

Zakuro's eyes enlarged slightly as what they were saying sunk in, "Please tell me I'm getting the wrong impression from the word 'relocate'..." Upon seeing the shake of Pai's head, she groaned, "Shirogane and Keichiro aren't going to like this..."

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**Me-** Dun dun dun...cliffy!

**Kachie-** Damn cliffy...I haven't even finished reading the last chapter yet...I've got too much school work to read all of your old updates! Now I gotta read another one!

**Me-** Mwuahahahahaha...does it look like I care? I've got reviewers to support here! Speaking of which...time to write my Inuyasha chapter! Yay!

**Kachie-** Yes...she gets to write her favorite chapter now...the one I helped her with...

**Me-** It's only my favorite chapter until the next big chappie...when I add my latest plot twist...which is ironic...because the story is beginning it's downward slope...meaning it is slowly coming to an end...in like...a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 chapters...it sounds like a lot...but...yeah...it isn't to me...

**Kachie-** How long does this story have?

**Me-** Well...between 6 and 9 chapters I'd say...certainly no more...hopefully no less...by the way...REVIEW PPL! I need feed-back!


	9. Chapter 9

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 9**

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated...after Christmas Eve, (one _Inuyasha_ chapter and two prize one-shots after the last chapter of this story,) I got pretty lazy, and didn't even think about my stories until I started this chapter up on the 2nd of Jan. I also learned that my grandmother was in the hospital with a malignant brain tumor a day or so before Christmas. I've sort of been unable to write much since then. Then when I started to feel human again, finals were upon me and I had to study. Then, while suffering from test anxiety on Thursday, (day one of finals,) I learned that my grandmother had passed away...so...I'm in pretty rotten shape right now. I know this chapter is really short, but I feel the need to work on something different for a while, and you people don't deserve to be on the hook for as long as you were, let alone any longer. So, I know this isn't the most savvy chappie, and that not much happens, but I hope it'll work for now...

Here's the chappie... Ta-frickin'-da... I was listening to 'Scars' by Papa Roach when I wrote most of the end, so...be prepared for threads of friendship to begin to be slightly exposed as something more...and for those threads to fray a bit...

**Disclaimer-** If I owned TMM, I probably would have a Ryou cabana boy to go with my Sesshoumaru cabana boy, (which I would only have if I owned _Inuyasha_ of course...)

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Ryou held Hekele's wrist tightly as he dragged her down the street towards the town. He hadn't said a word to her since they had left Mint's summer home; Ryou was too annoyed to speak. He couldn't believe that she held so little faith in the group's ability to keep Kachie and herself safe.

_How can she think so negatively of this? She sounded almost as though she were counting the days until she was stuck in a test tube being prodded with needles and tubes again...like she had already given up..._

"Ryou? Ryou, please say something...where are we going?" Hekele asked quietly, unnerved by his silence. Ryou sighed and stopped walking, but didn't release her wrist. For a moment he didn't say anything, but then he turned to her and looked at her with solemn eyes.

"You don't really think they'll get you, do you Tweety Bird?" he asked, knowing the answer already. Hekele sighed and lowered her gaze.

"They have more power than us...they have more technology than us, more of what they need to find us than what we have to stay safely hidden...They will find us eventually Ryou..." she said somberly. Ryou, having heard this, only offered her a stern look before continuing to pull her towards the town.

"...If you truly feel that way, then I'm gonna have to get you more attached to freedom..." he said monotonously. Hekele offered him a confused expression.

"...Why? I already love it more than anything Ryou, I don't think I could possibly get more attached to it," she stated. Ryou shook his head lightly and, as they entered town, pulled her down a random street towards some unknown destination. He didn't say anything for a moment as they continued onward.

Finally, as they approached an outdoor mall, Ryou did speak, "Of course you could love it more, if you're so willing to be taken you obviously don't care..."

Hekele halted suddenly, not allowing him to drag her further, "I am, by no means, willing to go back to that hell-hole, Ryou; do not ever presume otherwise." Her tone was dead-pan, and almost threatening, but Ryou's was downright icy when he responded to her.

"If you're willing to give up hope without fighting for your freedom, then you obviously don't want to be free, understand Hekele? If you give up this easily, after all we've done and promised to do, then you may as well walk into their open, rubber gloved, doctor masked, lab coat clad arms! Get it! We aren't about to let that happen to either you or Kachie, so you had better shape up and start thinking about what you really want out of life, because some of the most important things in history happened _despite _impossible odds like these."

Hekele's eyes shifted fearfully at his elevated tone. Her heart was beating anxiously, not knowing what to do or say. His words had made sense, she supposed, but he had frightened her. She finally looked away from him, not being able to do anything else. Sensing her hesitation and anxious state, his eyes softened remorsefully and he lightened his hold on her wrist. He pulled her into a small hug, wanting to soothe the feathers he had stupidly ruffled.

"...I'm sorry Tweety Bird...I didn't mean to scare you like that...but...you've gotta understand...we all care about you two, and when you talk like that doesn't mean anything in the end, it's like telling us that _you_ don't care. I know it's dumb...but if you don't trust us to keep you safe, if you don't fight for it, then why mourn losing it?" He rocked her from side-to-side as he said it, as if willing her to understand what he wished to convey. After a moment or so of this, Hekele's tense figure gave way as she wrapped her arms around Ryou's middle and started to cry into his chest.

"I...I don't want..."

"Sshhh...I know Tweety Bird...I know...I'm just being my stupid self like usual...I know you don't really want them to get you...I know that you're afraid...I'm sorry for being such an ass about it..." He gave her a tentative kiss on the forehead before laying his head on hers and rubbing her back to hopefully calm her.

It took a good three or four minutes, but as soon as Ryou was convinced that she was better, he carefully, gently, took her hand in his and led her towards the mall.

"Come on Tweety Bird...this place is bound to have a food court...let's get some dinner before we head back..." he suggested quietly. Hekele silently blushed a bit at their clasped hands but nodded slowly.

"...That sounds nice...arigato Ryou..."

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Zakuro shook her head, "You have got to be kidding me. Shirogane-san and Keichiro will, in no way, like this idea..."

Pai shrugged, "It's not like we have a choice here. If the nodes remain in them, then Hekele's fear will be realized sooner than even she imagined. Taking them to Serenity where we can scan and most likely safely remove the nodes is the best option we have...it's the only one really..."

Lettuce bit her lip, "That being said...Keichiro-san and Shirogane-san will NOT like it one bit...but Pai is right..." Mint stared at her in disbelief.

"Whose side are you on anyway, Lettuce! You think we should just trust them to take Hekele and Kachie to their ship, alone, and then safely return them when their finished playing the good citizens?" she shouted. Lettuce cowered a bit, but held a defiant stance. She was about to respond to Mint's argument, when an equally upset, and steadily turning red, Pai beat her to it.

"Don't be absurd! We'd take at least a few of you with us to ensure that your _precious_ friends would be returned to you in one piece. We had an agreement, and we intend to stick to it. We are allies until this whole fiasco is over with...at least..." he muttered that last part, but Lettuce could make out what he said. She stared at him oddly, her previous conversation with Ichigo coming to mind. Kisshu too seemed to have heard, because he slouched a bit and gave a seemingly sad shake of his head.

Ichigo's eyes shifted from Kisshu to Pai, waiting for one of them to say something. Kisshu kept quiet, though Ichigo knew he was running through what he had said to her that afternoon in his mind. Ichigo took a deep breath as Mint began to argue once more with Lettuce and Pai. Taruto had elected to vanish and figure out where Pudding had suddenly disappeared to. The girl was nowhere to be seen, but it seemed that only he seemed to notice.

"Pai, you're looney if you think that we're about to let you take us to that ship of yours! You'd probably just lock us up in there!"

"Mint! He, Kisshu, and Taruto have been helping us! In case you haven't noticed, Kisshu came down here to _warn_ us about what he found out! Why would he warn us if they were out to get us!" Lettuce shouted back in the aliens' defense. Mint was about to reel on her when Zakuro stepped in between them and glared at Mint.

"Mint, stop acting like a child with a temper tantrum! I happen to trust the aliens; they haven't steered us wrong yet, and I doubt they will even consider it until this agreement is over with. If they were as conniving and dishonest as you seem to believe, then they would make their move after getting their piece of the Mew Aqua from us. Also, in case you've forgotten, Pai refused up-front payment of the piece to ensure that they could be trusted. Stop jumping to conclusions without thinking things through. I may not be the most trusting individual in the group, but at least I think." Mint winced and her eyes visibly clouded over, almost as if she were going to cry. Zakuro was her idol and role model, so for her to scold Mint to the point she did had a strong effect on the girl. Mint instantly shut her lip, but spun on her heel and stomped towards her room in a huff. Zakuro watched her go with steadily softening eyes. When Mint was finally heard slamming her door, she spoke once more.

"She's a good girl...but she's gotta learn that the world isn't black and white...and that jumping to conclusions and sticking to them while ignoring evidence suggesting otherwise isn't only dumb, but completely ignorant. Grey is a shade too..." she said wisely. Pai, in his anger, still looked a bit red, but said nothing to argue her point.

"...Thank you, Zakuro, for defending our integrity, and you as well Lettuce. At least there are a few who actually trust us..." he said under his breath. Lettuce smiled at him weakly and touched his shoulder in support. Zakuro gave a curt nod.

"Well, you've been a big help so far, and we've got no real reason to doubt that you'll keep your word in the future. I'm an honest person, I'll admit that much. It's what'll happen after this deal is up that concerns me..." She stood up from her seat and walked towards the diningroom, where she could access the patio outside and sit in peace. Feeling everyone's curious eyes on her, she turned back to them when she reached the door.

"Friends make lousy enemies..."

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"Pudding? Where are you kid?" Taruto called mildly. After not receiving an answer, he rolled his eyes.

"Come on shorty...this is immature..." He heard a childish snort and turned his head towards a tree. Seeing Pudding's foot peeking from below some leaves, he transported into the tree next to her.

Pudding rolled her eyes, "You'd know all about immaturity, wouldn't you Tar-Tar na no da?"

Taruto glared but, seeing the upset expression on her face, let it go, "What's eating you? You're supposed to be the energetic super-freak of the group, not the gloomy one. It's kind of weird..."

Pudding sighed, "When we go home...will we really have to hate each other again na no da?"

Taruto blinked, not understanding the question, "What'd ya mean, 'will we have to hate each other again?' That's a dumb question..." Pudding shook her head.

"When we go home, the deal is up, and as soon as the deal is up, won't we have to fight each other again na no da?" she asked, wording her question differently. Taruto pondered this for a moment.

"I guess so...for a while at least. I don't really think I could fight you now that we've become friends...no matter how annoying you are...eventually, we'd stop."

Pudding smiled softly and held out her pinky to him, "Promise we'll stay friends na no da?" Taruto, surprisingly, didn't hesitate. He entwined her pinky in his and shook it.

"Promise! Now get outta this tree before I push you!"

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Keichiro walked idly through the gardens with Kachie by his side, in awe of all the plants and flowers they were seeing. Kachie herself seemed entranced with a blue flower that almost looked like it had a bursting firework of littler blue flowers coming out of it...

Mint had mentioned the gardens when he asked about restaurants earlier. Interested, he asked Kachie if she would like to go and walk around there after dinner, and she had readily agreed. Now, as it was dark outside, the plants were illuminated with strings of lights on the edges of the stone path they were slowly walking on. The flowers were surprisingly easy to see, and it made for quite a peaceful and romantic walk.

"Keichiro-kun...this place is beautiful...Mint wasn't kidding..." Kachie said as she tore herself away from the blue flower. Keichiro nodded.

"Everything's so exotic...trust Mint to know about something like that..." he said knowingly. Kachie grinned a bit and offered an agreeing nod.

"She does have an eye for things above the norm...but that's a good thing...if she didn't, we wouldn't have had that wonderful dinner..." she said.

Keichiro nodded as he lightly clasped his hand in hers and the two continued on, "It was very good...but not as nice over all as this..."

The two entered in a comfortable silence as they walked through the gardens slowly, looking at every illuminated plant and flower that they could find. Keichiro lightly joked about starting a garden...and then told her how he killed a petunia plant within two days of purchasing it. After telling him to stick with his day job, Kachie told him how, when she was young, before she was taken to the base, she had this plant that her mother had given her.

"I vowed to take good care of it. So, naturally, it died the next day," After Keichiro muffled a laugh, she continued, "...and I was heartbroken...so my mother told me that the plant was 'sleeping,' and that it would wake up the next morning...and sure enough, there was a healthy plant, in the same pot mind you, when I woke up and checked on it. The next morning...it was 'sleeping' again..."

Keichiro smirked and shook his head, "And how long did this keep up?"

Kachie blushed, "I was able to keep my plant 'alive' for about a month...and then eventually my mother told me that our cat had killed it when it didn't 'wake up' when it was supposed to...I was so mad at that cat...anyway...she must have bought me like...thirty or thirty-one plants..."

Keichiro allowed himself to laugh completely at this, "May I present, Kachie, the bringer of the black thumb..." Kachie hit him in the arm with her elbow, but smiled.

"So...what're we going to do when we get back? After we thank Mint for the info of course?" she asked. Keichiro shrugged.

"Probably be conned into making their dinner..." he replied, only half joking. Kachie smiled.

"Probably..."

It took about an hour more, but when they finally reached the end of the vast gardens, both were a bit sad. Keichiro promised that they'd go at least once more before they left the area, in the daytime, so that's they would be able to take some pictures. Kachie agreed instantly.

When they were nearly home, Keichiro stopped suddenly and pulled Kachie into a hug. Surprised, Kachie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him back.

"What's wrong?" she asked him. Keichiro, still holding her, smiled down at her.

"Nothing really...just my inability to express how much I care for you while within a fifty foot radius of our friends...don't ask why, I have no idea...all I know is, I need enough hugs to sustain me until our next date, because knowing me, I'll be too much of a cold fish to get one between now and then..." he admitted, laughing at himself. Kachie giggled a bit and gave him a squeeze.

"That's sweet...have all the hugs you want!" she replied, trying to draw attention away from her rising blush. Keichiro saw it however, and smiled. After thinking it over for a moment, he leaned down and lightly pecked her on the lips.

Seeing Kachie blush even further, Keichiro's smile broadened slightly, "That'll help to..."

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Hekele and Ryou enjoyed their tacos in silence. Ryou didn't feel like causing Hekele to cry again, and Hekele didn't feel like getting Ryou in a bad mood a second time that night. It was, however, a comfortable silence, broken only as the two threw away their taco wrappers and started walking away from the restaurant patio.

"I didn't expect you to be a taco person Tweety Bird; that makes seafood, chicken, casserole, ice cream concoctions, pizza, and now we're working our way to Mexican food...is there anything you won't try?" Ryou asked teasingly. Hekele blushed a bit and shrugged.

"Who knows...anything is better than nothing, so I guess I'll try it no matter what it is..." she admitted. Ryou nodded at her response knowingly and fell into stride beside her as they walked.

"So, now what?" he asked. Hekele looked up at him, confused.

"What do you mean? We're not going back?" she asked. It was Ryou's turn to shrug.

"Not unless you want to; I think the group can last a while longer without listening to our bickering for entertainment..." he joked lightly. Hekele smiled and nodded.

"Can we go by the beach again? I really liked it there..." she asked. Ryou nodded and grabbed her hand, leading her in the direction of the beach.

"I hate to say it, but I think it's strange that you like the water so much. You _are _a giant flaming bird after all..." Hekele tilted her head thoughtfully.

"...Maybe there's more to being a phoenix than simply destruction..." she said softly. Ryou elbowed her disapprovingly.

"Of course there is...nothing good comes from destruction, and destruction can't heal. You, however, are both. You're good through and through...and you can heal others as well as yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if you had other unknown abilities as well...Kachie too..." he said. Hekele nodded in acceptance of his reply and smiled as they came upon the beach.

The ocean air filled her lungs and Hekele took deep, comforting breaths. Ryou watched her with a small smile, happy that she seemed content. He enjoyed the peacefulness as well; the calming that seemed to automatically come with spending time with Hekele. The two walked slowly across the beach, still hand-in-hand. They were about a quarter of a mile away from Mint's summer house when they got the shock of their lives.

A pissed off alien popping up in front of them without a second's worth of notice, grabbing them, and transporting back to the house in a huff was not exactly their ideal way to end their evening.

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"You two stupid goodie goodies are gonna make me turn grey, and I don't even like you!" Kisshu exclaimed in an annoyed tone as he dropped the two blonds unceremoniously on the couch, crushing Kachie and Keichiro, who had only just sat down themselves.

After getting shoved off rather violently and quickly, the two sat up and stared at Kisshu angrily. "What, exactly, was with you giving us heart attacks for no apparent reason?" Ryou asked, quite perturbed. Hekele shared his sentiment.

"Yes, Kisshu, what exactly _was _the big idea?" she questioned. Kisshu rolled his eyes and pointed at the rest of the group, save Mint, who couldn't help but stare at the two humorously.

"They made me go find you two love birds because we've got a problem on our hands. A big one," he complained. Ryou cocked an eyebrow.

"What's the problem?" he asked. Pai answered.

"The military is surrounding our forty mile safety zone. They are mobilizing most of their other bases and coming here, and the ones here are slowly becoming active."

The color drained from both Ryou's and Hekele's faces. "...They know we're here? How..." Pai cut Hekele off.

"They know that you are within a forty mile radius of this pinpointed spot. They cannot track you specifically anywhere within it. This leads us to believe that you and Kachie both have tracking nodes planted somewhere on you, and that they are damaged beyond comprehension."

Kisshu cut in there, "We want to take you two up to Serenity to scan you for and possibly remove the nodes. Until we know where they are, there's nothing that can be done. Once the nodes are out, we can place them somewhere away from here to throw the guys off your trail, and you'll be far better off than you are now."

Ryou and Keichiro looked at one another questioningly, (this was the first that Keichiro and Kachie had heard as well,) and uncertainly. "...We have to give it a shot I suppose...it's not like we can just walk into a hospital and ask for a scan and removal without giving a reason..." Keichiro said slowly, still thinking. Ryou nodded to himself, his eyes shifting to a nervous looking Hekele.

"Since we've obviously got no choice...I guess we'll have to. But under one condition-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know, you and Keichiro have to come too. And you may as well bring a Mew or two while you're at it; since I know you'll ask that one next..." Kisshu said in a bored tone. Ryou narrowed his eyes a little at the rude alien but said nothing else. Instead, he looked at Hekele and Kachie.

"Well? What do you two think? It's ultimately your decision..." he questioned lightly, noting how nervous both of them seemed. He would have raised an eyebrow at how Keichiro's arm had found it's way around Kachie's waist comfortingly when no one was looking, but instead decided to keep his tormenting to a minimum until everyone settled down.

Kachie looked over at Hekele and then up at Keichiro before she said anything, "Well, if it'll help, then we may as well. It's only a matter of time until they find us the way things are going now...but if we can remove the nodes and take them somewhere else, then we've got more than a fair shot..."

Hekele nodded, taking a moment longer to speak, "We may have our differences, but there's no reason not to trust you...You've done nothing but aid us, despite the animosity at first. I say we go and get these things out of us..." Then, after a pause, she added, "Why is it, that when this is all over, that I can't feel it ever returning? The animosity I mean..."

Ichigo looked at her oddly, and Pudding smiled. Pai seemed to be deep in thought, seriously thinking about the topic for the first time. He looked over at Lettuce, who was smiling almost as brightly as Pudding, and his eyes softened. No, he, like Taruto, couldn't imagine the hate returning either.

Kisshu, however, couldn't keep silent, "Whether it returns or not, we'll have to fight eventually. We have a mission, you have a mission, and we both need to accomplish it at all costs. Not even friendship could change that. Loyalty to our causes is how we function."

Ichigo narrowed her eyes at him a bit, hurt. "Loyalty to a cause and loyalty to those you care about are on two completely different planes. And who's to say there can't be a compromise between the two anyway? Humans aren't so evil, and aliens obviously aren't either. If you were here with us in the beginning, you have a right to be here with us now."

Kisshu growled a bit, "Humans wouldn't accept our kind any more than they accept their own differences. Rules and laws are nothing. It's either us or you."

"If you resign to giving up then how can you expect any better? If you're a quitter then you don't care. I know aliens aren't so perfect that they don't have wars with one another over stupid things, I know you're all as human as us on the inside, and part of being human is having faults! _You_ are obnoxious to the point it should be a crime, Taruto can be the same way and he has no respect for those older than him, Pai is too silent and calculating, he needs to live a little more. And you know what? _I_ talk too much without thinking first, I barge into things without thinking, hell, let's go as far as to say that I don't think period! Mint is too close minded and distrusting, Zakuro is too aloof and void, Lettuce is clumsy and quiet, Pudding is too energetic and brash, Ryou's a jerk, Keichiro's too nice for his own good, Hekele's way too mousy and insecure, and Kachie's accepting, trusting, and patient to a fault. Do you get it? We all have faults! Every single one of us! And you know what? I'm pretty sure aliens can be as evil as humans, so even if we had problems merging them together, it'd work itself out in the end. It may take a while, but it would happen. YOU, Kisshu, need to look at the big picture instead of two days from now." Everyone was silent as Ichigo took a huge breath. She had obviously had quite a bit on her mind, and ironically, everyone shared her point of view.

Kisshu glared daggers back at Ichigo. "It. Wouldn't. Work. We'll keep on fighting, the stronger will win, the weaker will lose, and-"

"And either way, you'll be sorry Kisshu, yeah, I remember what you told me. That doesn't mean you're right," Ichigo finished. She turned away from him and walked away, not saying another word.

No one said another word for minutes. The silence was quite possibly thicker than Kisshu's skull. Eventually, Ryou spoke, "Kisshu, you've got one hurt, pissed, and most likely correct kitty on your hands. You're making it up to her and dealing with it, not us."

Pai only glared at his comrade before he too spoke, "Lettuce, would you accompany us to Serenity? To pacify Mint, a Mew _should_ go." Lettuce blushed at the invitation and agreed to come. Nodding in a satisfied fashion, Pai addressed the others.

"Let's get going then, better get this over with sooner than later. Kisshu, you're not to return until you make things right with Ichigo." When Kisshu was about to protest, Pai glared at him, "She's right you know, you'd never fight her; you care for her too much, but since you're too stupid to look for a way around it, you try to make her hate you so it'll be easier. I'm not an idiot you know. And even if it's a long shot, working against odds for peace is better than giving up and preparing for war."

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Ichigo sat in 'her' room sadly. She looked over at a picture of Masaya that she had brought with her from home, and sighed. Why didn't she feel that warmth she always felt when she thought of him? Why was Kisshu's stupidity hurting her so much? Why did it make her heart ache to think that he may be right?

There was a time, less than a week before, when the mere thought of Kisshu made Ichigo seethe with anger, but now it was different. Now...when she thought about Kisshu...her heart hurt. Like she actually cared for him.

_And not just as a friend either...because my heart wouldn't ache like this if he were just my friend..._ she thought solemnly. She looked at Masaya's picture one more time and then turned it down. She knew what had happened. She knew why she didn't feel the warmth she was so accustomed to.

She had fallen in love with someone new, someone who would probably hurt her in the end, someone who flirted like hell but didn't really want her love...

She had fallen for Kisshu.

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**Me-** There, I have updated. Friday, January, 20, 2006. Now, my goal is to get you another update by February 20th, one month from today. Wish me luck!

P.S. I would really appreciate reviews on this one. Especially my whole thing with Kisshu and Ichigo being a pair. Is that ok? (Not that I'll change it.) Did I do all right?


	10. Chapter 10

**Fire and Ice: Chapter 10**

Hey gang! How're you doing?

Guess what? I, Hekele Adams, am going to Alaska this summer! I will take a flight there, (all by myself,) get picked up by representatives of Alaska Pacific University, taken to the university, and will spend the next 5-6 days sea kayaking and camping on the Prince William Sound! After that, I get to spend another 4-5 days at the college meeting professors and students and stuff...and exploring the city of Anchorage! Then, I'll get dropped off at the airport, and come on home! I am so psyched that it isn't even funny! I might see whales, sea lions, tons of fish...maybe, (hopefully not since I'm camping in a tent,) a grizzly bear...

OK! Here is your chapter! I am happy as all hell right now, so...blah!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing...yet...

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Ryou held Hekele's hand tightly as they appeared on Serenity. He was nervous for her, because though he trusted the aliens, part of him still didn't want to let her out of his sight while in unfamiliar territory. Keichiro seemed to be just as apprehensive about Kachie, so Ryou didn't feel as though his 'fears' were unjustified.

Pai, who had gone back to Earth for Lettuce, returned with the said girl then and looked at the four other Earthlings for a moment before motioning towards a hall that led to his laboratory. Taruto started walking in that general direction as Pai spoke.

"Let's get this over with; the sooner we find out what our options are, the better."

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Pudding poked a sulking Kisshu in the arm, earning a growl from the annoyed alien. She only proceeded to poke him again, earning a chuckle from Zakuro and a swat from her victim.

"What the hell are you up to monkey girl? Leave me alone," he ordered coldly. Pudding only poked him a third time.

"Are you going to apologize to Ichigo anytime soon na no da?" she asked. Kisshu growled once more.

"There is no reason for me to apologize! I spoke the truth! We'll all end up fighting again as soon as this is over with, so we might as well not get too attached to one another!"

Zakuro sighed and shook her head, "If life was as defined as you said it was, then nothing would be left to ethics and question. People change their minds, people change their hearts, situations change everything, and nothing is as we first perceive it. Hence what we have come to know now; we thought you aliens were evil and you thought that all humans were evil for destroying our own world. Now we know for a fact that you aliens are only trying to save your people, and are really as human as any of us except for your added abilities and you adaptation to not have to breathe in oxygen. I also would hope that you realize that not all humans are wasteful thoughtless creatures who care nothing for anyone but themselves. Once we learned the truth about you, we came to understand, and our animosity began to fade to the point where we thought we could trust you with this whole arrangement; now we know in our hearts that you are good people inside and that you are our friends. What have you learned about us Kisshu?"

Kisshu groaned and flopped back onto the couch, thinking, "That you're all as stubborn as mules, annoying, generally good-hearted, stupid, too trusting, two-faced, optimistic, and completely unrealistic. Other than that, nothing. Why?"

Pudding grinned, "See; we're not all bad na no da! Know what's funny; we've learned the exact same things about aliens na no da!"

Kisshu hit his head on the wall, "Is that right?"

Zakuro nodded, "Yep, so you might as well try to talk to Ichigo while you can. That girl has a habit of changing her mind once it's made up."

Kisshu looked at her for a moment, contemplating what she had said, and then vanished into thin air. Zakuro smiled at Pudding knowingly.

"I think we've won this round, now how about a game of War; I need to beat you in at least _one_ card game before we go home."

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Kisshu couldn't help but roll his eyes at Ichigo. In the twenty minutes since she had stormed off to her room, she had managed to fall fast asleep. Kisshu gently sat in a cross-legged fashion on her bed, not wanting to disturb her. He stared at her for a moment before sighing.

"You know somethin' kitten? You're a real mystery. One minute I think you hate me, and the next I think you wanna be friends; what's up with that, huh?" he asked, more to himself than her sleeping form. Well, at least he thought she was sleeping.

"I don't think I could ever hate you Kisshu, even before; you just really pissed me off," Ichigo mumbled quietly. Kisshu blinked a few times in surprise before leaning a bit closer so that he could hear her better. He couldn't help the tender smile that had suddenly appeared on his supposed-to-be-annoyed face.

"You awake kitten?" he asked gently. Ichigo rolled over a bit so that she could see him and shrugged.

"I'm staring at you aren't I?"

"Well, you weren't when you had your back to me, kitten."

Ichigo sighed and stretched, "What do you want Kisshu? Come to argue with me some more?" Kisshu shook his head.

"Actually, I came to apologize."

Ichigo rolled her eyes, "Who put you up to it?"

"I'm shocked and appalled kitten."

"Not as much as I would be if you came up here of your own free will."

"I'm hurt then."

"Better; now what do you want? If it was just to apologize, you would have waited until I got up of my own accord."

Kisshu nodded a bit, "Well, now that you mention it, I would like to ask you something."

Intrigued, Ichigo sat up and drew her knees to her chest, resting on them, "Really? Fire away then."

Kisshu let out a breath he hadn't quite been aware that he had been holding, "Do you think that it could really work? In the long run?" Ichigo smiled.

"I do indeed; you and I alone are proof of that. It took us a while, but we're friends now; I trust you with my life, and I would hope that you trust me that much too."

Kisshu smirked a bit, "Hai, I do. You're a nutty cat-girl, but you're still a dependable one nonetheless." Ichigo grinned.

"I aim to please." Ichigo yawned suddenly, and she blushed in embarrassment.

Kisshu grinned, "Still tired kitten? You should get some more rest."

Ichigo shook her head, "Nah, I want to be awake when Hekele and Kachie get back; I don't want to be the last person to find out what's going on." Kisshu shrugged.

"I'll wake you up when they get back then; it'll probably be a few hours. Get some sleep kitten." Ichigo looked at him with tired eyes and sighed.

"Do I have to?"

Kisshu nodded, "Unless you want me to bother you the whole time you wait, then yeah. I'll wake you up as soon as they all get back if you get to sleep now though."

Ichigo sighed and curled up under the covers, Kisshu still sitting on top. After a moment of silence Ichigo turned to face him. "Are you leaving anytime soon?" she asked. Kisshu shook his head.

"Not until I know you're sleeping kitten," he replied. Ichigo rolled her eyes.

"I promise to go to sleep, ok? You said I was dependable didn't you?" she tried. Kisshu shrugged.

"Fine, but if you come downstairs any sooner than sixty minutes, you'll have me to deal with."

Ichigo smiled, "Deal."

Satisfied, Kisshu bent down and stole a quick kiss before Ichigo could move out of the way to avoid him. "Sweet dreams kitten." And then he disappeared. Ichigo blushed reflexively and smiled at the place where he had been.

"G'night Kisshu."

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"I'm going to have to ask you not to speak while you're being scanned; the movement of your jaw could blur the images. Now lie down on the table please," Pai asked Kachie as he motioned to an examining table.

Keichiro squeezed Kachie's hand and nodded gently for her to comply. Kachie nervously followed the instruction, quite apprehensive about letting go of Keichiro's comforting hand. Hekele likewise seemed bothered. The group was in Pai's laboratory, which was filled to the brim with large scientific machines that both Hekele and Kachie were very unfamiliar with.

Ryou noticed the troubled expression worn so plainly on Hekele's face and intertwined their fingers, squeezing her hand coaxingly. Hekele readily tightened her grip on the poor appendage, but Ryou didn't mind. He only smiled at her reassuringly and drew her a bit closer, knowing that it would make her feel s little more secure.

Pai surveyed the group, and after a moment, realized what was causing the hesitation. "I'm going to be using this device to detect any inorganic substances in you body. It works a bit like your X-ray machines, except it provides much clearer images and will detect more than metal and bone. It'll create a full sized transparent image of your body, with muscles, bone, veins, arteries, and cartilage in different colors. Anything inorganic will show up in a variety of greens and blues depending on their substance," he explained as he moved a giant suspended 'slab' over Kachie's body. He was careful not to turn it on, not wanting to alarm the girl. He hoped explaining the process would ease their justified fears; it would make it easier in the long run.

Kachie's mind eased a bit and she nodded to Pai thankfully, "Ok...will it take long? I'm certain the military will be wondering why our signals actually disappeared." Pai shook his head.

"Only a minute or so; it'll scan you using a sort of light, all right? I'm going to begin now," he warned. Kachie nodded and straightened her head. She closed her eyes as she heard Pai turn on the machine.

It was odd, she could feel the light slowly traveling over her body due to the warmth it emitted as it passed over her. Three times she felt the gradual warmth travel across her body before she heard the machine power down. At Pai's gentle command, she opened her eyes and carefully hopped off the table. Looking at Hekele, Kachie smiled.

"You're turn." Hekele bit her lip nervously as Ryou led her to the table. She carefully laid herself atop it and closed her eyes. Pai repeated the process cautiously, aware than she was considerably more jumpy than Kachie had been.

Lettuce watched the scene in silence, not wanting to disrupt anything. She couldn't help but smile at how quickly Kachie latched back onto Keichiro's arm, despite how calm she had acted. Glancing over at Taruto, Lettuce found him setting up a nearby machine and feeding a disk of data into it. When an image of Kachie appeared above the machine, she realized that it was the data collected from the test.

"Interesting?" Lettuce jumped a bit at the sudden voice and turned to see Kisshu standing near her in the doorway. Lettuce offered him a half-hearted glare before returning her attention to Hekele, who had returned to Ryou's side in the blink of an eye.

"I find it so, yes. Did you make things right with Ichigo?" she asked. Kisshu shrugged.

"Yeah. Dumb kitten was asleep when I got up there, but I talked to her, and I am apparently forgiven."

Lettuce smiled, "Good; I know you care about her Kisshu, and angering her doesn't exactly amplify your chances of winning her heart." Kisshu shrugged once more.

"Yeah well, she's got her precious Masaya anyway," he replied.

Lettuce shook her head, "Hearts change you know. I think you've got more than a fair shot at winning her over."

Kisshu rolled his eyes, "Wolf girl said the same thing. I don't think that it applies to us the same way though."

Lettuce cocked her head, "And why not? Love is complicated, and I personally think that Masaya is just a really big crush. If Ichigo and Masaya were to get into a fight, I'm pretty sure that she'd get sad and try to ignore what happened, whether she was in the right or not. With you, she feels the need for you to understand her point of view; she'll fight with you to be heard, because it's important to her. Sort of like you'll fight her tooth and nail to get your point across to her. If you don't care about the other person or their reactions to your opinions, then you won't fight to express them."

Kisshu sighed, "Yeah? Well, aren't good relationships fight-free?"

Lettuce shook her head, "In a good relationship, couples can fight all the time and grow to love each other more because of it; it's just a more difficult relationship. Easy relationships tend to get boring and the couple drifts apart because they need someone to challenge and express differences with. Get it? The more you and Ichigo argue, the stronger your friendship grows, and that's why I'm simply sitting on the sidelines waiting for you to become an official couple."

Kisshu glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "So, what would your relationship with Pai be?" He was rewarded with Lettuce's immediate blush.

"What are you talking about?"

Kisshu smirked, "Don't play dumb, I can tell you hold affections for him. I also happen to know that he holds affections for you because you're the only person that brainy jerk can effectively talk to. You hold the same interests and similar levels of knowledge. He also seems to be at ease when around you, just as you do when you're talking or sitting with him. So, how would you classify your relationship?"

Lettuce's blush increased deeply, "Friendship. A nice, normal, understanding friendship." Kisshu rolled his eyes as he began to walk past her into the room where Pai was talking to the group and pointing to corresponding spots on the two floating images.

"Sure, for now at least."

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"It's nice of you to join us Kisshu, have you made amends with Ichigo?" Pai asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he saw Lettuce blushing and walking up behind his comrade.

Kisshu nodded, "Yep, the kitten forgave me. So what'd you find out here?"

Pai rubbed the back of his neck apprehensively, a motion that didn't go unnoticed by Lettuce. "The nodes are located at the bases of their necks, directly over their spinal cords. It's a temperamental location."

Ryou and Keichiro looked at one another. Keichiro looked at Pai, "Is there any way to safely remove them?" Pai shook his head a bit.

"There's no way to guarantee that I could remove the nodes without jeopardizing their health. The odds are about seventy percent that a procedure would be successful based on the shallow location, but even so; it's risky."

Hekele looked at Ryou, "What should we do?" Ryou felt his hand tighten around Hekele's of its own accord. He didn't like the idea of endangering either Hekele or Kachie in the way that would be necessary for the removal of the nodes, but what other choices did they possess?

"Keichiro?" he asked, unsure. Keichiro looked at Kachie.

"Only if you want to risk it will we even consider removing the nodes, all right?" he stated firmly. Kachie nodded.

"I think I want to try. I mean, it _is_ our only option for removing the nodes, and I want to have some chance of being free, you know?" she said. Keichiro was about to say something when Hekele spoke up.

"Even if this fails, at least they'll never get their rubber glove-clad hands on us again. We'll be free in a sense, even if only in spirit," she said. Kachie smiled a bit and nodded.

"Exactly," she said softly. She turned to Pai, "Will you please do what you can to remove the nodes from our necks? We'd be very grateful."

Pai searched the worried eyes of Ryou and Keichiro for a moment before nodding, "Give me one hour to study the images so that I may understand precisely how they are attached and accurately how large they are so that the procedure will be as un-invasive as possible, and I will do everything in my power to remove the nodes as safely as I can. I give you my word."

Ryou nodded slowly and tugged Hekele a bit closer to him out of reflex, apprehension dancing in his blue orbs. Keichiro was likewise clutching Kachie's hand tightly, not wanting to think about what would happen if Pai failed.

Lettuce broke the awkward silence, "I suppose I should go back and tell everyone what's going on; I'm sure they're getting anxious." Kisshu looked ready to speak but Pai beat him to it.

"I'll escort you back," he turned to the rest of the group, "And I will start examining the images the instant I return."

Lettuce smiled gratefully, "Thanks, Pai." Pai only nodded and gently grabbed her arm. After a quick farewell, he transported to earth. Kisshu blinked a few times before speaking.

"What was that about? Why is that stotic oaf mad at me now?" he asked. Ryou quirked an eyebrow.

"If you're too dumb to figure it out then I'm not telling you," he said, shaking his head.

Kisshu glared at him, "What did I do! All I did was walk over here and he started glaring at me like I had played some horrid joke on him!"

Hekele tilted her head to the side a bit, "Well, Lettuce was certainly blushing when the two of you walked over here together." Kisshu was about to say something when he stopped in mid-motion. A huge grin spread across his face.

"I'll be damned, I made Pai jealous. How fun." Ryou narrowed his eyes a bit.

"What did you do to make Lettuce blush like that anyway?" he asked suspiciously. Kisshu chuckled.

"She was attempting to talk me into thinking I had a chance with Ichigo when I started drawing attention to her developing fondness of Pai. That set her off instantly, then I began alluding to reasons I was positive that he was showing affection for her; _that_ probably made her turn an undiscovered shade of red right there, and then I walked over here. She followed."

Keichiro shook his head, "You're too immature for your own good. Pai probably thinks that you were flirting with her."

Kisshu grinned, "Let him; I did nothing wrong."

Kachie sighed, "You're gonna get your ass kicked one of these days."

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Pai and Lettuce transported in Mint's livingroom near the couch. Pudding and Zakuro looked up instantly from their card game and stood. Lettuce turned to Pai and smiled.

"I'll take it from here; thanks for bringing me down."

Pai nodded, "Anytime." He looked to his left as Zakuro and Pudding reached them and nodded politely in recognition.

Zakuro returned the nod, "What did you find out?" Pai gave her and Pudding a strained look.

"That things are a bit more complicated than we had hoped. I have to get back to Serenity, but Lettuce can explain things further." He took something out of his pocket and handed it to Lettuce. "I have a feeling that Kisshu might come back here, but if something happens and he isn't here to relay information, this is a communicator that is linked directly to the ship. I'm not sure how much time we'll have before the military starts looking into why their signals disappeared," he warned. Lettuce nodded.

"Ok, we'll keep our eyes open for trouble," she replied. Pai nodded slightly and was about to leave when Lettuce spoke again.

"Good luck."

Pai looked at her for a moment and offered a half-smile, "I'll need it." Lettuce crossed her fingers as he disappeared and for a moment, no one said anything. Eventually, however, Zakuro spoke up.

"Well, are you going to tell us what's going on or are you going to keep us in suspense all night!"

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Kisshu appeared in Ichigo's room silently and made his way over to her bed. She had wanted to be informed when her friends got back, but Kisshu was certain that she would like to know of the complications that had arisen as well. When he reached her bed, he carefully sat on the edge and began to gently shake her shoulder.

After a moment, Kisshu could see Ichigo's face scrunching up as she fought to remain asleep. He smiled down at her and shook her a bit more urgently, wanting for her to wake up sometime before he turned old and grey.

"Hey kitten; time to rise and shine," he cooed gently. He heard Ichigo growl.

"No it isn't; leave me alone Kisshu. It's gotta be eleven at night at least," she replied, rolling over towards the wall.

Kisshu rolled his eyes, "Well, you wanted to stay informed didn't you kitten? I'm here with news that I'm pretty sure you'd appreciate hearing." Ichigo sat up then, still appearing very tired, but also rather annoyed.

"We've gotta do something about that mean and sarcastic tone of yours; it gets aggravating really fast buddy." Kisshu grinned his trademark grin.

"And so does your slow response time kitten; I said I'm here with information so you might want to listen up. The girls do indeed have nodes, located at the base of their necks right above their spinal cord. After a discussion of the risks involved, the two of them decided that they wanted to risk it anyway to have them removed. Ryou and Keichiro are up there with them still and Pai's working on analyzing the data so the required procedure will be as safe as possible. Lettuce just arrived downstairs and to the best of my knowledge is relaying this information to Zakuro and Pudding as we speak. Mint is still in her room, most likely asleep by now," he relayed. Ichigo's eyes were wide.

"How good are the odds?" Kisshu's expression turned a bit more serious.

"Good, but not satisfactory; seventy percent chance of success." Ichigo's eyes became downcast and Kisshu suddenly felt bad for having been the one to give her the news. He scooted closer to her on the bed and cautiously pulled her into a small embrace. He was greatly surprised when she not only allowed him to, but rested her head on his shoulder.

"They'll be ok kitten; they're tougher than they seem. I'm going to head back up there in a while to see if there's anything that I can do to help, but I'll stick around here for a while if you want me to," he offered. Ichigo nodded into his shoulder slightly.

"Please? Would you?" Kisshu smiled.

"Sure, kitten, and like I said, don't fret; those two'll be all right." he replied. Ichigo nodded once more.

"Thanks Kisshu."

"No problem kitten."

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Pai walked from his laboratory to the control room calmly. The images had been a great help in determining the method he would use in the procedures, and he held confidence in his ability to safely remove the nodes. He still, however, was plagued with the worry that a complication would arise that he wouldn't be able to avoid. Like, for instance, any defense mechanism programmed into the nodes to keep them from being removed. Pai had no knowledge on how they precisely worked, and that bothered him.

When he entered the control room, he found the group to be rather tired; Kachie was actually asleep with her head resting on Keichiro's shoulder. "It has been a long night, hasn't it?" he asked as he stopped in front of the group. Ryou nodded as he glanced over at Hekele, who seemed about ready to join Kachie in the realm of dreams.

"It's time then?" he asked calmly. Pai nodded.

"I've got everything ready. The sooner we begin, the better." Keichiro nodded as he carefully awoke Kachie. After she was up, the four of them trailed behind Pai and Taruto, (who was as close to falling asleep as Hekele had been,) back to the laboratory.

Pai turned to look at them once they were inside, "Once I put them under, they'll be asleep for roughly six hours; more than long enough. All right?" The group nodded and Keichiro wrapped Kachie up in a warm embrace. Sensing that the group would appreciate a moment alone, he grabbed Taruto and said that he would prepare the anesthetic.

Keichiro gave Kachie a light peck on the cheek, "Good luck Kachie-chan." Kachie smiled.

"Arigato, Keichiro-kun, but hopefully we won't need it."

Ryou looked at Hekele for a moment before pulling her into a protective hug. The phoenix only smiled as she returned the embrace. "I'll be fine Ryou-san; I trust Pai." Ryou sighed and squeezed her a bit tighter.

"I promise you a huge banana-split when this is over with, and a whole pot of coffee too. Just stay in one piece," he said quietly. Hekele nodded.

"Hai, I will." It was then that Pai returned to the group. His return was slow, paced, like he was biding time for the group. When he reached the four of them he spoke.

"It's now or never; let's get this over with."

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**Me-** Ha! I'm ahead of schedule! I am the winner! I wrote two chapters plus this one before my self-proclaimed deadline! Woot! I'm so happy!

**Kachie-** Woot! Congrats! And Happy 17th Birthday too!

**Me-** Yep! Tuesday the 21st is my b-day! And I am happy as a clam! I get to go to Alaska this summer, _and_ I get my 17th b-day this next week. Happy Happy!

**Kachie-** Review please! She wants your opinions and thoughts!

**Me-** Send me reviews for my b-day! Plz?


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